Grandpa's Plan
by 0o-ThisIsMe-o0
Summary: Money. It was the only thing that connected the nine relatives who barely knew each other together… but could it be also the reason for them coming closer? As always, Niley, Jemi & others ; R
1. Chapter 1

Money. It was the only thing that connected the nine relatives who barely knew each other together… but could it be also the reason for them coming closer? As always, Niley, Jemi & others ;)

**Chapter 1**

Pictures. Colored frozen memories, mostly good memories. Pictures are good reminders of the past. Sometimes they make you smile, sometimes they make you even laugh… and sometimes they make you cry wishing that nothing never changed. And that was what the old man was doing.

He was sitting on his bed, his legs covered with a white blanket wearing his usual glasses and holding a big photo album. The pictures inside, held memories from fifteen years ago… and nothing was like the way it is now…

Fifteen years ago, his wife was still alive, his three sons and two daughters were still having a strong bond, and his nine grandchildren couldn't bear being away from each other.

But now, his wife is long gone, his sons and daughters stopped even calling each other, and his grandchildren didn't even remember each other's names.

He closed his eyes remembering when it all started… after his wife's death…

The five siblings were so depressed for losing their mother. It was normal for them to stay together in such circumstances especially in such a close family.

But no one was as sad as Robin and Richard… because they thought they were the reason, the reason why their mother died. You see, they had a huge fight over the business as they were partners in a company, it was so huge that they started throwing things at each other and yelling loudly that their mother got really affected and tried to stop their argument but failed which caused her to faint.

After then, her health conditions were not good, until she died two weeks after.

While the sadness was controlling the atmosphere, Denise was shooting daggers at her brothers. She accused them harshly for being the cause of the death of their mother, which caused each one to defend himself in a way that accused the other… and it all began from there.

He soon found the five yelling at each other for no obvious reason, and it ended with them each taking his kids and leaving not bearing to stay with the others.

They stayed in touch with their father though; they visited him repeatedly with their kids, but never at the same time. It was until the kids grew up and started having their own lives that most of the times they couldn't visit with their parents.

Generally, the family was falling apart… and no matter how hard he tried to make things better, he couldn't.

But now that he's already 77 years old and he felt his life was ending, he decided to make a last try.

"Mr. Albert, they're here." Sara, his servant told him politely entering his room.

"All of them?" he asked her.

"Yes." She nodded.

"Alright, send them in after ten minutes."

"Alright, sir." She said and left the room again closing the door.

He looked again at the photo album to see the most special photo to his heart. The one containing all the family…

There he was sitting with his wife on the big couch as their five children stood behind it close to each other as the nine kids were around them. There was Nick and Selena between him and his wife while Miley was sitting on his lap and Demi on his wife's. And then there was Joe and Kevin on the ground smiling widely at the camera with Taylor and her blond locks between them, and lastly Justin was sitting beside his grandma while Liam next his grandpa.

He never got old from looking at this picture. He stared at it with a sad smile and let a single tear roll down his old pale face.

And then, there was a knock on the door, he looked towards it and closed the photo album sighing as he put it on the night table next to all his medicines.

"Come in." he called weakly.

The door cracked open and a young lady with reddish brown long wavy locks and brown sparkling eyes entered with her wide smile getting even wider.

"Grandpa." She squealed running towards him giving him a huge hug and all the other eight entered behind her some smiling excitedly to see their grandfather again and some rolling their eyes it her childish acts.

"Oh, I missed you young Demi."

"I'm not young anymore, grandpa." She said still hugging him tightly.

"Excuse me, you're not the only one missing him here." Selena snapped.

"It's not like he's going anywhere." Demi rolled her eyes pulling away from him anyway.

"Hey, grandpa, I missed you." Selena said giving him a kiss on the cheek. And then everyone else greeted him and gave him warm hugs and just one girl was left.

"Hi, Mr. Albert, I'm Danielle, Kevin's wife." She said with a huge warm smile.

"Oh, days pass quickly." Albert said giving her also a hug. "Welcome in the family, honey." It was the first time he meets Danielle, he was invited to the wedding, but he wasn't able to go, so he just phoned him congratulating him.

"Is it me or there's someone missing?" he asked scanning the room.

"Um, I guess Marissa is missing, Uncle Robert's daughter." Nick said thinking hard.

"You mean, Miley, Robin's daughter!" he corrected him sadly.

"Sorry, I'm late." A new voice said running through the door and directly towards her grandfather's bed pushing anyone in the way and quickly pulling him in a hug. "I missed you."

"Slow down young lady." He laughed faintly.

"Sorry." She blushed and pulled away.

"Now, you're all here. That didn't happen in a long time." He smiled shaking his head, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Anything, grandpa." Taylor said.

"I want you to stay with me until I die." He said and they all stayed silent shocked as they didn't expect him to request such a thing. "Is that too much?"

"It's not that, it's just… I mean, what about our colleges and jobs? We can't leave our whole lives." Joe said.

"Oh, my son, first, we're on summer vacation, and second, I'm not going to stay that long."

"Grandpa, don't say that." Miley said shaking her head and holding his hand as she was still standing beside him.

"I'm afraid I'm right my dear." He smiled sadly.

"What are you saying?" Liam asked.

"The doctors were so obvious when they said that my health condition is that bad." He told them.

"Are you kidding?" Kevin said with a tensed chocked chuckle.

"No, dear… everything has an end. Anyway, what do you say about my request?"

"I'm staying." Miley was the one to speak after a while of silence.

"I'm too." Demi said.

"Well, won't miss it." Justin said awkwardly.

"Um, is there going to be enough space for all of us anyway?" Selena asked.

"The house is huge, Sel. You used to stay here when you were young along with your parents too." He reminded her.

"Alright, we're staying, right guys?" Kevin said looking at his two brothers who nodded in agreement. And, like that, they all were staying around their grandfather in his last days.

"I knew you'd do that for me." He smiled.

"Well, anything for you, grandpa." Joe said.

"Thank you."

"Excuse me, but it's time for him to take the medicines and have some sleep." Sara entered the room again.

"Alright, we'll leave you to rest, grandpa." Kevin said.

"Alright. You'll find your rooms easily, there are names on the doors for you." He informed them as they smiled, nodded and then left him to go and settle themselves. They thought he only wanted them to stay over the weekend, that's what they thought when they all got a call from him saying that he's ill and wants to see them badly.

They spread around the house looking for their rooms… at the second floor of the huge old house were some bedrooms… they went there looking for their rooms. But they were shocked to find they were paired together. Five rooms. For the nine of them. They barely knew each other's names, and now they were supposed to stay in one room! That was going to be hard.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer : Only own the plot !_

**Chapter 2**

There were their names on the door mocking them… it was already awkward to have to stay with each other in the same house, let alone the same room.

But actually, not all of them were harmed, like Kevin who was sharing his room with his wife… Joe who was paired with his brother Nick… and the two sisters Selena and Taylor.

"Is he crazy? What was he thinking paring us like this?" Liam exclaimed frustrated… he looked at the door of his room to see he was paired with Justin.

"Watch your mouth, you tall guy. Have some respect for him." Miley snapped at him.

"Well, I respect him when he's thinking straight."

"Us not getting along isn't any of his fault, okay? And it's also not his fault when he wants to see his grandchildren _in his last days, you idiot."_ She yelled exaggerating the last words.

"Hey, don't call him that." Selena frowned at her defending her half-brother. You see, Richard –Selena, Taylor and Liam's father- married twice, first Liam's mother who died giving birth of him, and then he married the girls' mother.

"Honey, I was just sitting him straight." She stated. And with that she left entering her room which had hers and Demi's names on the door.

Inside, she found two perfectly made beds, one on each side of the door. The walls were a shade of pink with a lot of pictures hung on it in a rhyme. There also were some roofs with teddy bears. And finally, there were two cupboards opposite each bed, they were off white with pink flowers printed on it, and then there were a huge window between them facing the huge farm.

And on the far left side of the room, there were four comfy chairs gathered around a small tea table and facing a TV.

Just like she remembered it from her childhood.

Demi was already there unpacking, and when Miley entered she quickly moved her hand to wipe her eyes, but Miley noticed.

"Um, are you okay?" she asked her unsure.

"Yes." She answered weakly.

"I know you're upset." Miley whispered sitting on her bed but Demi didn't answer, "I'm too." She said weakly thinking about her grandfather.

"Well, yeah, never thought of the day when I lose him." She shrugged.

"I know, neither did I." Miley shook her head and gave a sigh then pushed the thought out of her mind and looked at Demi with a small smile. "So, you're Demi… Aunt Lilly's daughter?"

"Yup, and you're Miley… Uncle Robin's daughter."

"That would be me." Miley smiled, "So, since we're living in the same room for a while, I guess it would be easier to know each other better?"

"I don't really see a point there as I know very well that our parents aren't gonna make up… but sure, why not." Demi said thinking.

"Great." Miley said not really happy with Demi's answer, but she shrugged it off, "I like the room… pretty much like how it was when I was young." Miley changed the topic looking around the room.

"Yeah, I remember it too. I remember that you me, Selena and Taylor used to sleep here. Two in each bed." Demi reminded.

"Yeah… I always wonder how we fell apart… I mean, we were really close; how could just one argument do this?"

"I guess they were always mad at each other but didn't say anything… and when they started, they just couldn't stop." Demi told her wisely. Yeah, that was true; everybody was hurt that the other thought badly of him and didn't even tell.

"You're right, but I guess this thing just got so old." Miley said as Demi didn't reply… obviously, she disagreed.

"Anyway, I'm going downstairs… I need to make some calls seeing I'm staying some longer."

"Yeah, that's fine… I'll just finish unpacking." Miley told her as Demi threw her an awkward smile before quickly leaving the room.

Well, at least they're trying.

After Miley was done putting her things in the right places, she left the room and decided to have a tour around the house, just to refresh her memories of it.

She remembered her running around the house along with her cousins occasionally pumping into adults who either screamed at them or were in a good mood enough to chuckle. But neither her grandpa or grandma ever screamed at her… or at any of them.

The house back then was so full of life… but now, it felt like it's been abandoned for a long time.

She wondered around for a while and her legs took her outside into the huge garden next the house. Walking through the small iron gate that had green leaves and some red flowers along it, she inhaled the different scents of the flowers and green grass around her instantly feeling relaxed.

She always liked that garden… it reminded her of love as she used to see her grandparents taking good care of that garden… they always sat there on one of the benches and talked and laughed or just had a walk between the different plants and watered them.

She smiled widely as she lied down on the grass and looked at the blue cloudless sky. It was sad knowing that this was going to be one of the last days she'd ever go there. Without her grandfather, there was no point of coming, she hardly did anyway.

She let a tear slide down her cheek as the fact of her grandfather going away forever slowly sank in… right now she just wanted to run to him and hug him and never let go. But at least he'd get to meet his wife again; she knew he missed her the most.

"It's peaceful, huh?" she heard a sound saying behind her as she sat up quickly and turned her head to see Demi standing there her cell phone in her hand.

"Yes, it is." Miley nodded as Demi took a deep breath and walked towards her and sat down.

"I'm sorry I was being a bitch earlier." She sighed.

"Not really."

"Huh?"

"You weren't exactly what I call a bitch, just a little unfriendly." Miley said and accompanied it with a smile letting Demi know it was totally okay.

"Well, I'm sorry… it's just that my life isn't perfect right now." She told her.

"Well, sorry for whatever it is… it'll get better."

"Yeah, it will." Demi said and looked ahead of her, "Do you remember when we were kids?"

"Sure. I remember every single one of you."

"I do too." Demi nodded with a hint of a smile, "I also remember you being my favorite cousin."

"Well, yeah, us being the youngest two and with the same age had its effect." Miley said referring to the fact that they were the closest.

"Right." She smiled, "Is your dad coming?" she asked after a good two minutes of silence.

"I don't know, haven't called him yet… actually, I don't think he's free to even check his phone right now." Miley said rolling her eyes. She didn't say that out of nothing, for the twenty one years she'd lived, her father never picked up his phone during the work day… especially in the past fifteen years.

"Busy working?"

"All the time."

"I heard the others saying their parents are coming to see their father, which will sure make a lot of troubles… they're not staying though."

"It'd be great if they stayed at the same room for five minutes." Miley said sarcastically.

"Yeah… mom was depressed when she knew. She was shocked."

"We were too. I mean who wouldn't. And to think that bastard thought it'd be cool go cursing him!" she rolled her eyes remembering the incident with Liam.

"I heard him; you were too good defending him." Demi smiled at her.

"He deserved what I said," Miley shrugged.

"He totally did."

"I wonder what it'd have been like if we didn't drift away like this."

"Then we'd be the best of friends."

"I remember grandma pairing us together." Miley laughed as Demi smiled remembering it too.

"Yeah, but there was always one of the guys left out… we're four girls and five boys."

"Yeah, and we used to make fun of that one." She flashed back to the times when they'd do something childish and their grandparents would laugh and then their grandmother would start pairing them together always leaving one of the boys, however that one always differed, so the others would laugh at him and tell him he won't find a girl for his whole life, which in Joe's case ended up in him refusing to play with them for the rest of the day.

"Excuse me, Mr. Albert is now awake and wishes to see you all." The same maid from earlier interrupted their laughers as she requested that politely.

"Oh, alright we're coming right now." Demi answered her as she stood up along with Miley and followed her to the house and up to the room where they were before to see the others were already there and waiting for them.

"Ah, did I interrupt you?" The old man said his face lightening up even though it was hardly noticed due to the paleness that overtook him.

"No, anything for you, grandpa." Miley said politely as Demi smiled nodding in agreement.

"Brat." They heard a scoff that was followed by an eye roll from Selena.

"Selena!" he said in a sad warning tone.

"Sorry, grandpa." She said annoyed but not at him.

"Well, I wish you liked your rooms." He said starting off his conversation. A wave of mumbles like 'yeah, it's awesome' or 'good' or 'just like I remember it' went through them and the last one to speak was Liam, who decided to leave his touch,

"Well, despite the fact that we're being paired, it's cool."

"You didn't expect me to find enough room for the nine of you, right? Besides, you're cousins; you're supposed to get along."

"But we don't." Liam told him.

"Well, thank you for bringing this up… I see that since you're going to stay together for a while, that you actually need to at least talk." He told them.

"We're cool." Joe said.

"Oh really? Who's your Uncle Jack's child?" he said challengingly.

"Um…"

"Who's Justin's parent?"

"I…"

"It's the same answer, son." He shook his head, "Justin is Jack's son… and that's the least you should know about each other… let alone the ages, the jobs, the lives in general…"

No one said a word.

"You need to know that no one is going to be there for you except each other… the ones who will care about each other."

"We have our siblings." Selena spoke.

"Not all of you have siblings… Miley, Demi and Justin don't."

"Then, maybe _they_ should get along." Nick said.

"Will it hurt you to get along too?" he said and once again no one spoke, "Anyway, we are all going to have dinner together tonight." He smiled, "I will be very happy eating with you all around me."

"Wait, are you allowed to leave the bed?" Miley asked concerned.

"I'm allowed to do anything that will make me happy, dear."

"But…"

"No."

"Mr. Albert, the table is ready." Sara again walked inside the room announcing, by now they were getting the idea of her being the house manager.

"Thank you, Sara." He said and slowly uncovered his legs to stand up.

Quickly, they rushed towards him trying to help as he smiled seeing that they actually cared, and actually had something in common.

"Slow it down, I can walk on my own."

"I don't care if you do… I'm still holding you." Demi said with a chuckle earning another eye roll from Selena.

Five minutes after, they finally made it downstairs with Demi and Taylor holding their grandfather one on each side helping him moving but he didn't really need it… though they still did while Miley was walking behind him and the others were ahead.

"Thank you," he said sitting on the chair in the head of the table and on each side were five chairs for them.

On his left sat Kevin, his wife, Nick, Joe and Justin. And on his right were Taylor, Selena, Liam, Miley and Demi.

"Well, let's start." He said and they all began taking bites of the different kinds of food.

"Oh, by the way, grandpa, mom said she was coming to visit." Kevin said.

"Yeah, dad did too."

"And also did mom."

"Yeah, mine too."

They all agreed which left Miley silent and soon all eyes were on her awaiting for her to agree.

"Didn't little Robin want to see me for probably the last time?" the old man smiled.

"It's not that, it's… um… I haven't called him yet… he doesn't answer his phone during work." She admitted and he nodded understandingly while the others either stayed silent or shook their head or gave a sarcastic chuckle.

"I don't care if they came or not anyway." He said in a whisper. Miley sank in her chair embarrassed, now the first thing they knew about her is that her father is ignoring her, and to think she could actually start talking with them again! Well, how could she expect them to realize her presence when her own father hardly does?

_Simar, __IWantNiley3.0__, __foreverandalways333__, __MissEmRose__, __xonedirectioninfection__ & Guest thank you ver much for the sweet comments, and I promise this story will contain BIG twists here and there :D_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"So, since we're all here, why don't you start actually knowing each other?" Albert suggested in the middle of the meal.

"What? We can't just start talking to each other!" Justin said.

"Well, then, you should start from the begging, introducing yourselves."

"Huh?" Pretty much everyone looked at him confused.

"Well, from an experiment, you obviously know nothing about each other… you hardly know each other's names… so, the first step should be introducing yourself to the others. Everyone will have his turn." He explained.

"That's ridiculous." Liam chuckled as he looked at him pursing his lips.

"It may sound ridiculous to you… but you have to respect my wish in my last days." He told him instantly shutting him up, "Well, Kevin, my son, start it."

"Um… well, I'm Kevin, twenty six, Denise's son; I'm the manager of one of my mother's restaurants. Well, I'm married." He said not knowing what else to say.

"Good start, now, Danielle." The old man said smiling.

"Hey, I'm Danielle, Kevin's wife, I'm twenty five, I'm the master chef of the restaurant my husband just mentioned, and well, I guess I'm happy with my life." She said and shot her husband a smile.

Well, at least she seemed cool and friendly.

"I'm Nick, Kevin and Joe's brother, I got to Juilliard School and I'm twenty three."

"Joe, twenty four, just graduated." Joe said shortly chewing on his food as Selena gave him a disgusted look while the others just chuckled.

"Thanks for the information, Joe, but next time, make sure to swallow first, we don't need little Selena puke over the table here." Albert said as they laughed and Selena just gave a smile. "Now, Justin's turn."

"Well, I'm twenty three, study business and management at Harvard, and I'm Jack's son."

"Everyone, I'm Taylor, Richard's daughter, but you probably know that since father is a huge factor in breaking the family… anyway, I'm twenty four and just graduated, but I work as a stylist in my parent's magazine, and I'm not married, engaged or even in a relationship."

The longest introducing… and the nicest, well, for Miley it seemed that the people she most likely will get along are Demi, Taylor and maybe Danielle, but none of the guys seemed nice, sure Joe was funny, but still he didn't even make an effort to introduce himself.

"Selena, twenty two, goes by Sel, and I study art so expect to hear my name all over the media soon… and I'm Liam's and Taylor's sister."

"Liam, twenty five and I'm a lawyer, I usually take care of the cases that the companies of my parents hold." He said, "Good enough?"

"Thank you, Liam." Albert nodded.

"Um, I'm Miley… I'm twenty one; I attend New York Medical School. And well, um, I don't have siblings!"

"Demetria, Demi for short, I'm also twenty one and I'm Lilly's daughter, I go to Columbia University to study business… I considered not joining college at first, but well thought it was best to run mom's business right."

"Well, you all now know some facts about each other; which is a good start." Albert said.

"Great." Liam said in his sarcastic tone but his grandfather was too happy right now to care.

After dinner, they helped him again to his room and everyone went his own way, some went downstairs to watch some TV –even though there were TVs in their rooms, but they just disagreed with their roommates- and some went outside for a walk and some just sat in their rooms.

Like the two brothers, Nick and Joe.

Their room was painted in light blue with pretty much the same style of Miley's and Demi's room… all the rooms almost had the same style, just the contents differed, which also made it look a lot different, like the shape of the bed, the color of the wall, the pictures and posts on the wall and the location of the window and where it look at.

The two were lying on their beds doing nothing, Nick was staring and Joe was playing with his phone.

"It's sad, right?" Nick finally broke the silence.

"Yeah, he's like the only one left reminding us of the good times." Joe whispered lifting his eyes from the phone and throwing it next him.

"I can't believe he's dying." Nick shook his head. "And I can't believe he thinks we can get along again." He said after a while when Joe didn't say anything.

"Well, it's not a miracle, but it'll never be the nine of us getting along."

"Coming out from you." Nick rolled his eyes, "By the way, what did you do? Got to fix it?"

"Well, I'm trying, but I don't know how the two of them will react together, I mean, grandpa has put me in a tough situation now that we actually live in the same house."

"Yeah, you're." Nick told him as Joe rolled his eyes, "Did any of them reply to your texts, e-mails, calls or messages?"

"No," he shook his head sadly.

"They have the right not to." He said pointedly.

"I know, but, they have to understand that I didn't mean to hurt any of them." Joe said seriously.

"But you still did, and to be honest, you could have stopped it." Nick told him as he opened his mouth to defend but Nick spoke again, "And don't say you didn't want to be rough; you knew pretty well that telling the truth would hurt them much less than them finding out like this."

Joe groaned guiltily knowing that he's right.

"Does anybody else know?"

"No, just you, not even Selena." He said as Nick nodded.

"Well, you have to be creative so they could forgive you… I mean you need to really apologize."

"I know Nick, I just don't know how." He said annoyed but he aimed to end the discussion for now which Nick caught on and just shrugged.

The silence filled the room again for a while until they heard footsteps coming up followed by some talking…

"Yes, mom, I'm staying. Yeah, fine, I'll pass it. Mom, where's dad right now?" They heard who they assumed to be Miley talking over the phone, "Well, when will he get back?" then they heard her sigh, "Oh, really? Please let me talk to him now." She said hopefully after a while.

"Hey, dad. Yeah, I'm fine, how's work? Uh-huh, hmm, yeah, great, listen, dad, I'm staying here for a while…. Well, you see, grandpa is ill and he wants us to be here. Dad, he said he wanted to die seeing us around him, and he's not even joking." She snapped, "Well, yeah, I thought so." By this tone they could almost imagine her rolling her eyes, "Are you really bringing this up now?" she said with shock and frustration, "We're talking about grandpa here." She reminded, "Two days? Dad, I'm telling you we might lose him any minute. Fine. Bye." She hung up giving a huff.

There were silence again and the two brothers looked at each other confused, they knew they weren't supposed to hear that… was she even still there?

A loud sob echoed through the hallway answering their question… Joe hesitated for a while before getting up from his bed and opening the door slowly and looked out the room to see her sitting at the far corner of the hallway on the floor with her head between her hands crying trying to be quiet.

"Um, something wrong?" he took a step towards her as Nick followed behind him.

Realizing she's not having privacy, her head shot up and she quickly wiped away her tears and painted a fake smile on her lips looking towards them.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You can tell us, you know." Joe said.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking though."

"What's wrong?" Taylor reached them with a concerned look on her face; she stood beside Miley putting a hand on her shoulder, "What happened? What did you do?" she directed the last question towards the boys with a glare, which for some reason Miley didn't understand sent Nick into a fit of laughers although he tried not to, she looked at him a little insulted thinking that he may be laughing at her.

"I did nothing." Joe told her deafeningly.

"It's not them, and I'm fine." Miley told her.

"Must be the first time he's actually not involved in something wrong." She gave him a glare and turned around entering her and Selena's room.

"Um, well, I'm going too." Miley said sensing the awkwardness as they nodded and she quickly headed downstairs wiping her tears again.

"Dude, that was awkward." Nick told him with a chuckle.

"Thanks Mr. obvious." Joe rolled his eyes as Nick gave another laugh.

XxXx

"Dad," the woman exclaimed running to her father who was seated on the bed as she threw herself between his arms sobbing.

"Oh, Lilly, why are you crying?" he rubbed his daughter's back.

"I love you, dad." She whispered.

"Oh, I do too."

"Move on, he's not only your father." And there came Richard.

"Richard, my boy, please treat your little sister with some respect." Their father said pulling away from his daughter.

"Well, she should have respected me too seeing I'm her older brother."

"Don't ever talk about respect." Denise scowled at him.

"Ha, as if little Ms D knows about it." Robin said from his spot at the doorframe.

"At least I'm not hiding from my problems behind the reason of work… I'm not ignoring my family because I'm too afraid to be a part of it." She shot back harshly as his eyes instantly drove to his daughter who looked down suddenly interested in her hands.

"What did you tell? One day and you're already babbling to them! Idiot, I should have never let your mother raise you like this." He scolded her. And to add more gas to the fire, it was in front of all her cousins who she already felt insecure being around, well, except for Demi maybe seeing they're getting along.

"Robin, don't talk to her like this, she has done nothing wrong." Her grandfather defended her.

"Dad, this is my daughter, I know what's better for her."

"Like you already know what's better for _yourself_." Jack said under his breath.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you come here?" Albert suddenly snapped as all of them looked at him with some guilt.

"To see you, father." Lilly said.

"Well, you have seen me, you can leave now."

"What?" Denise asked with hurt.

"If you're not going to be mature and actually act your age, then leave. I already have your sons and daughters around me making me happy… I don't need you snapping at each other all the day."

"Fine," Robin whispered ready to leave and maybe go back to his work as all of them looked at him waiting, "um, we can stop, I mean." He quickly made up his mind again.

"Yeah, sure, we can." Richard agreed.

"We'll see. But I'm not going to hesitate to kick you out at any other attempt to fight."

"Don't worry, dad." Denise said.

"Where are you going?" Albert said seeing Miley get up from her spot next him and head to the door.

"Um, checking if dinner is ready yet… I'm kinda hungry." She said and added a chuckle at the end, but it was obvious that it was fake but he nodded letting it go for now.

"I'm coming with you… let's see how they make their food." Denise said following her; well, let's say she was the professional cook in the family, she always made them irresistible meals, and that's why she considered the idea of having a restaurant until she finally managed to actually open one which led to the famous chain of restaurants owned by her now.

Denise was standing in the kitchen asking the two servants there questions about the way they cook, what the use and all, she gave them some instructions which they couldn't help but follow before finally turning her attention to her niece who was pretending to be busy tasting food.

"Did I put you in trouble up there?" she asked her.

"Not really." Miley answered unsure.

"Is he always like that?" she gave a sigh.

"Most of the time we spend together."

"Which is not a lot." Denise said as a matter of fact as the younger girl looked down. "I know how he is, but he has to understand that this is not any of your fault." She muttered more to herself.

"Why don't you say so to yourself?"

"Excuse me?"

"If you know that this is not any of our faults, then why did you make us drift away like you did? You knew how close we all were and still you went on and cut all connections between us… and look at us now, a new version of you." Miley told her quietly, "And believe me, even if grandpa is trying so hard to gather us again, it'll never be like old times… we'll never all be okay again… maybe we can manage to come closer to one or two… but all the nine? No way."

"Miley…"

"Drop it. The damage is already done." She gave her one of her sad smiles and left her standing there in the kitchen for the first time considering the fact that she might have gone wrong along with her siblings.

_Thanks everyone for reading :) but special thanks to the reviewers: __Simar__, __rainbowsandsunshine123__, Guest, ElJonas, __lifesaclimb11__ & Julia… thank you guys very much :)_

_I would have updated earlier but my grandma just passed away 3 days ago :( and it was a mess here, so, sorry!_

_Anyway, comment please._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Are you okay?" Demi asked Miley when they were alone at their room.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Miley replied.

"He seemed pretty angry."

"Nothing up-normal." Miley gave a nervous chuckle.

"Alright, then." She said sensing that her cousin didn't want to talk about it.

"Denise talked to me." Miley said as Demi frowned looking at her, "She was saying my father should know this isn't my fault, and I kinda blew at her." Miley said as Demi looked at her waiting for a further explanation which Miley gave her by telling her what she said.

"Well, you're right, I don't like her or her boys; they seem evil to me." Demi said annoyed.

"Why?" Miley asked her with a confused smile.

"I don't know, when you just look at them, they seem deep and um… just evil." Demi shrugged making Miley laugh.

"Come on, Joe's funny; and the other day when I called dad and was crying, he heard me and came to see what was wrong."

"Joe did that? Good to see he has some feelings." She said with a sarcastic eye roll.

"He actually did. Maybe you just misunderstand him."

"I doubt. Anyway, you never told me the reason you cried though."

"Well, it was just everything, dad being his normal self, grandpa, and well this new situation, and the fact that my best friend and me are drifting away."

"Seems like your life is so messed up." She said with sympathy.

"You have no idea, but I'm over it all now and well, I'm thinking that fate is giving me this chance to be away from everything for a while."

"You're right, and if it make you feel any better, my life isn't that perfect too." She said as Miley waited for her to continue and open up like she did, but Demi never did.

The two girls looked at each other confused as they heard a knock on the door, who'd come to their room?

"Come in?" Miley called.

The door cracked open and a tall figure entered from the shadows of the hell as they soon recognized it in the room light as Danielle who was smiling widely at them.

"Um, I thought that since you left right after dinner that I should come and get you some of the dessert. You missed it." She said handing them two pieces of chocolate cake.

"Oh, thank you." Demi smiled widely at her.

"Oh, and your parents are leaving now, in case you wanted to say goodbye." She informed as Demi nodded and put her plate aside to go say goodbye to her mother while Miley sighed and took the plat from Danielle.

"Thanks, you're too nice."

"We're basically family." She gave her a smile as Miley nodded and mimicked Demi's action and went downstairs with Danielle.

"Bye, dad." She kissed her dad's cheek as he looked at her and just nodded.

"Um, take care of yourself." He told her which probably was the only fatherly thing he ever told her.

"I'll." She said and he nodded again turning around to be the first of his siblings to leave.

Miley looked around to see everyone was involved in a conversation with their parents, she saw Denise whispering with her sons as Joe occasionally looked at her; by now she realized they were close enough to keep each other fed up with what's happening, she was almost sure that Joe was the one who gave her the idea of her dad ignoring them.

Richard and his kids weren't having this kind of relationship though, by the look of it, Selena was pretty much a daddy's girl, while Taylor seemed to be the total opposite, still the two sisters were close. And Liam, well, Liam was more like Selena, you can hardly find something they like, they were hard to impress. They were so full of themselves and didn't like the idea of being compared to someone.

Justin, Jack's son, he was quiet, and maybe shy more like his father. He hardly spoke since they arrived. It's a miracle that he survived the night with Liam in the same room as him, seeing that their personalities are way too different, he probably was driving him insane during the night.

Finally, Demi, well, Demi was sweet, kind and outgoing, the few hours she spent with Miley made them both realize they have some things in common, but she was mysterious, Miley knew she was hiding something, it's not like she expected her to tell her everything about her, but she seemed to be not telling anything at all. Demi and her mother also seemed close, after all, Demi's mother was young, and she could sure understand her daughter. And to Miley, they seemed like they're best friends.

As for Miley, well, we already got a glimpse of her relationship with her father, and in reality, he was the reason of it all, and he knew it, he knew he was hiding from his problems, he knew he was too afraid to be like what his own family turned to. And that's why he never got close to them.

"I'm going shopping tomorrow, are you coming?" Selena looked at her sister after all the parents were gone and they were all heading upstairs.

"Tomorrow? Sel, you just went two days ago and you got heaps of things." Taylor frowned.

"So? I want to buy a few more things."

"Like what? You have everything." Liam smirked at her.

"Shut it. It's not your business."

"She's going all daddy's princess again." He rolled his eyes playfully as she stuck her tongue out at him.

"So, you're coming or not?" she turned to her sister again.

"No,"

"Thought so." Selena shrugged and walked away.

"Dad is spoiling her." Taylor said to her brother.

"Yes, he is." He nodded as Taylor looked at him and gave a laugh, "What?"

"Nothing, but sometimes you're like her."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." She told him shaking her head and following her sister.

"Acting like Ms. Perfect." He rolled his eyes at her.

"She's nicer than you at least." Justin mumbled but Liam didn't hear him.

XxXx

"Come in." Albert called out when he heard a knock on the door.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he looked up to see Taylor with her blond locks smiling at him as she closed the door behind her.

"Looking over old photos."

"Can I join?" she asked walking over to him as she sat down next him.

"Sure." He said and moved the photo album in between them so she has a better look.

"Wait is that me?" she asked looking at a younger version of herself along with her sister, Miley and Demi all hugging each other and looking at the camera while laughing.

"Yes, dear, look how innocent the four of you looked." He smiled tracing his finger on the photo.

"Yeah, we were." She sighed.

"Don't you miss those days?"

"Of course I do." She looked at him, "But, it's not like I can't live without them, grandpa, I moved on."

"Tell me truthfully, have you ever had friends as close as your cousins when you were young?"

"Actually, no. I mean, I do have friends, but never had I played freely like I played with them. And now, I can't tell you about talking to them because back then we only cared about playing." She told him.

"Then, why don't you try and refresh your friendship?"

"It's kinda too late. It's hard to catch up with them after fifteen years of no talking at all." She shook her head.

"Why not pretend for a while that you don't know each other? Why don't you do like Miley and Demi? They started talking instantly when they arrived, and look at them, they actually sound like friends."

"But, I'm sure they're not telling each other everything."

"You don't have to tell everyone everything, Tay."

"But…"

"Is there's something keeping you away from them? Are you like afraid of your father?"

"Father? Ha, of course not."

"What is it then?"

"It's… nothing."

"Then promise me to try?" he asked her as she looked at him then down at the photo before nodding.

"I'll try." She told him and he smiled kissing her forehead as they looked back at the photos. "Is that Nick?" she exclaimed trying not to laugh at the photo of him having a big piece of a cake on his hand gazing at it wondering how he could put it all in one mouth.

"Yeah, it was his third birthday." He chuckled.

And like that, they stayed there looking at the pictures for a while laughing at the memories, and her grandfather stopped flipping the pages occasionally to tell her the story of the picture. It seemed like he never runs out of stories as he kept telling her things she didn't remember of her own childhood.

"Haven't you had any touch with any of them during those fifteen years?" he asked her as her head snapped towards him and shook her head.

"No, why would you ask that?"

"Just asking. Taylor, if you ever needed to talk, I'm here. And when I'm gone, I know your cousins will be there, just choose the kindest and talk to."

"I'll remember that, grandpa." She promised and hugged him tightly feeling slightly guilty about lying. But, it's not like she wants to ever remember that again, but maybe if she told her grandpa he could help her? It's not like she has someone else to tell anyway, "Well, I want to tell you something." She sighed pulling away with tears forming in her blue orbs.

"Go ahead, dear." He held her hand comfortingly as she nodded and took a deep breath before starting her story.

XxXx

"Ugh, why do I keep doing this?" Joe exclaimed walking in his and Nick's room.

"What did you do this time? Did any of them talked to you?"

"No, it's another one this time." He said and Nick looked at him from his spot on his bed with a confused expression. "Miley, sh-"

"What? You talked to Miley too?"

"No, but she hates me-"

"Do you think they told her?"

"Stop interrupting me and hear me out."

"Sorry."

"Just her looks at me, Nick, she's smart enough to know I'm the one that caused her more trouble with her dad."

"So, you're just _amusing_ she hates you?"

"Her looks are almost killing me." He exclaimed, "I guess she figured I told mom yesterday when we were talking to her."

"Yeah, it was kinda obvious." Nick shrugged.

"You're not helping."

"I don't get why you care so much… it's not like you're going to be stuck around them forever. Just bear with it for now and it'll be over when we leave."

"I don't want them hating me, Nick. You know they were good friends and I don't wanna lose them."

"You were only friends with the other two, forget Miley." He shrugged.

"I talked to her too."

"Huh?" he looked at him surprised.

"You know, I talked with her a couple of times or so. But it was years back."

"God, Joe, do I have to find everything by chance?"

"Sorry, dude, but it wasn't that big of a deal to remember it… not like as it was with-"

"GRANDPA." A scream was loudly heard echoing through the walls of the huge house making all the inhabitants of the house freeze in their places fearing to move so they'd find something bad.

"Oh, God." Nick said after a while of just staring at the door as he stood up and rushed out the door to his grandfather's room crossing his fingers it wasn't what it seemed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"No, no, please answer me." When everyone arrived they saw Miley crying while screaming those words repeatedly over their grandfather's body that was looking as pale as ever with his eyes closed.

"Please, miss get away so I can examine him." A nurse who was brought up by Sara told Miley while pulling her away slowly.

Miley was forcefully pulled away when she couldn't move herself by two arms which warped around her rubbing her back comfortingly, even though she could hear the breath of her hugger getting faster too nervously until it got hitched in their throat.

"I'm sorry." Were the only words that the nurse had to say for them to look down and for the tears to form in their eyes slowly making its way down their cheeks and then hitting the floor or their clothes without them even bothering to stop it or hide it.

Miley clinched the clothes of whoever was hugging her and cried harder burying her face in their chest making a note in her mind that it was a girl.

"No, please try and save him." Demi whispered to the nurse through her tears.

"I'm sorry, but it's too late."

Suddenly, it hit her. She was never going to see him again, he's gone, for good… as if she needed any more drama in her life, this was too much for her right now, Miley felt her knees go weak as she cringed harder on the shoulder of the girl hugging her trying not to fall, but soon she found it harder as she fell on the floor hearing her name being called by Danielle and her face was the last thing she saw before she felt nothing anymore.

XxXx

"How's she?" Robin asked his wife entering the room where his daughter was sleeping while her mother was sitting on the edge of the bed next her caressing her hair lovingly.

"Still asleep." Trisha answered her husband without taking her eyes off of her daughter. "You called her, didn't you?"

"What?"

"You did what you want and called her today, right? You told her."

"I had to."

"No, you didn't, I told you she'd never accept it." She looked at him with a glare, "Tell me you didn't fight with her."

"Well…"

"God, do you want her to hate you even more?"

"She doesn't hate me." He yelled.

"She's heading that way, Robin." She yelled back.

"No, she'll realize I'm doing the best for her."

"Crushing her dreams isn't best for her."

"Why do you care? You're not her biological mother anyway." He yelled but soon regretted his words when he saw the look of shook on her face. "I'm sorry, it's-"

"Just leave me alone." She told him and faced the sleeping girl again, he looked at her and tried to find something to say but got nothing so he sighed and turned around leaving the room. As soon as Trisha heard the door closes behind him, she started crying hysterically.

"How's she?" Denise asked her brother for once speaking to him without screaming.

"Sleeping." He told her shortly, "As you care."

"I do, Robin, she's my niece, not just because I'm not on good terms with you then I don't care about her." She snapped but he ignored her. Right now the whole house was filled with no other emotion but sadness, everybody was still recovering form the fact that their grandfather just passed away.

"So, when are we going to hold the funeral?" Richard said after a while of silence after cleaning his throat.

"Three days?" Jack suggested, "I mean till we get ready and tell the people and all."

"Good enough." Denise commented.

"He always wanted to be buried next mom." Lilly mentioned, "He said he wanted to be with her forever." She said with a sad smile.

Their mother's last command was to be buried in the far corner of their garden so she'll be there in that house forever, and apparently her husband wanted the same, so, he'd be in the house and next his wife.

"That can be arranged." Richard said and once again the heavy annoying silence filled the room.

"Taylor, where's your sister?" Maria asked her daughter.

"On her way, she was out shopping." Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Oh, and how come we arrived before her?" the mother raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know how far away she was, mom." She said giving a teary glimpse towards her father as Maria looked at him and sighed without saying anything. It was obvious that Taylor and her mother were the same and the total opposite of Richard, Selena and Liam.

"Alright, we'll take care of that later." She mumbled.

XxXx

All dressed in black and standing in front of the two graves, the big broken family took the sorry comments from the people that came to be there for them… there were a lot of people, seeing that every one of the five siblings had his or her own business and relations.

There were even people Albert himself never met or heard of, yet they were there for the sake of their business with one of the siblings.

And that was what bothered the younger generation the most, or at least most of them, who noticed that fact. They didn't want people coming and faking the sorry emotions just so they don't lose their business. Albert deserved much higher funeral.

In their opinion, only people who knew how smart he was, how kind he was, how great of a man he was; only those were allowed to attend the event. Because their grandfather was great and not any one can come and speak about him like that. But the reality is that almost anyone who owned a company was there.

Finally when it was over and people were leaving, it looked like some pins fixed on a green piece of wood as none of them moved a finger or made an intention to leave too.

"I'm going to have some rest." Richard said inhaling a deep breath. And soon, Robin, Jack, Denise and finally Lilly followed him seeing no point of standing there any longer.

Slowly, the others started moving too as they dropped their flowers on the newly founded grave and letting some more tears roll they started leaving too.

"Bye, grandpa." Demi whispered as she dropped her roses on his grave and stood up quickly to make space for someone else to do the same.

For her surprise, she saw tears streaming down the faces of the three brothers too. It was a new scene to her, something she never saw; she never saw them cry, she never saw _Joe_ cry.

"I'll miss you." She heard a weak voice as she looked down to see Miley next the white stone with her flowers in her hands as she slowly placed them and slowly stood up. She was the worst case out of them. Demi knew there was something else, she just didn't know what. She knew that this condition she's in is not just because of their grandfather… yes they were all sad but they're getting better, but Miley… well, she's like that all the time.

It is like there is something crushing her, maybe the death of their grandfather is the worst of her problems but it's not the only.

Back at the house when they all left the graves, Sara entered the most crowded room and looked around to see there were no one missing but Richard, Kevin and his wife and finally Miley.

"Excuse me, Mr. Albert's lawyer wants to meet you all now, I'm going to tell the others." She informed and quickly left and they saw the man who was standing behind her with the round glasses and the grey suit. He was short and half-bald.

When the missing four came, the short man cleaned his throat and looked around to see that everyone's eyes were on him.

"I'm Erick Smith, Mr. Albert's lawyer." He started with introducing himself as they just nodded at him and he took it as a sign to continue, "Well, first of all, I'm sorry for your lose." He paused, waiting for someone to say something but silence was the only reply, "Secondly, I'm here to read you Mr. Albert's will."

"Father had a will?" Richard asked surprised.

"Yeah, he had it few weeks ago and he told me to read it for you right after his funeral."

"Go ahead," Robin said when Erick didn't say anything else.

"Right," Erick said and opened his bag and took a paper out of it and started reading…

"_I, Albert Winston, in my perfect state of a mind, give all my wealth to my nine grandchildren, Kevin Paul Anderson,_

_Joseph Adam Anderson,_

_Nicolas Jerry Anderson,_

_Miley Destiny Winston,_

_Demetria Rose Winston,_

_Selena Marie Winston,_

_Taylor Alison Winston,_

_Liam Josh Winston,_

_And Justin Drew Winston,_

_Seeing they're starting their lives and I wanted to help them in case they wanted to start their own projects just like I helped their parents in my life before._

_But on two conditions, the first, it must be divided fairly among them._

_The second, they must stay together in my house for a month. _

_And if someone broke my conditions he'll be left out of my will."_

"What?" Selena exclaimed. "I have to stay a month here? With them?"

"The will is very clear, if you don't want to stay, then you don't get any money." Erick told her.

"Great, I'm sharing my room with him for a whole month." Liam mumbled as Justin just rolled his eyes.

"That's it? He left nothing for us?" Richard asked with a surprised face.

"I'm sorry, but no. He told me he knew the five of you are already settled with your own business, and he wanted all the money to be for your children, so they'll be as successful as you are. And…" he trailed off.

"And what?"

"He was also not totally content with the five of you."

"So he didn't give us anything? He took us out of his will because he was mad at us?" Denise asked him as he nodded giving them a sad grin.

"This is ridiculous." Robin said, "Our children are working with us. They help us in our business, they will take the business after us, they don't need his money." He stated, "Come on, Miley, we're leaving." He said and got up walking towards the door but he stopped midway and turned to see neither his daughter nor his wife moved. "Move, you've already packed, didn't you?"

"I'm not leaving." She stated simply and then brought her cold eyes to her father's.

"What?" he frowned, "Come on, I'm not going through your shit right now."

"I said I'm not leaving. Even if I'll stay here alone, but I'm not coming with you."

He stared at her surprised; she never disobeyed him, she always followed his orders, sometimes she disagreed but she always gave in at the end, so this was new.

"Miley, I'm ordering you."

"I'm twenty one. I make my own decisions." She said and with one last cold look she got up and headed upstairs.

"See? That's what money does." Selena rolled her eyes and everybody looked at her dumbfounded either by her words or by the scene that just took place; they never saw that side of Miley!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"The driver will come with your things tomorrow." Lilly said to her daughter on the door as she gave her one last hug before going.

"Take care, mom." Demi yelled after her mother who looked at her from the driver's seat and nodded giving her a wave before driving away.

She was the only one left of her siblings. Robin left right after the fight with his daughter the night before and the others didn't stay much longer after him, she was the only one who stayed the night preferring to leave in the morning.

Denise told Kevin and Danielle that they shouldn't worry about the restaurant as she will take care of it for that month; after all she always did before Kevin took it over.

As for Richard, he was irritated by the will of his father when he didn't leave him any money… but he let his children stay anyway, if he couldn't make a use of the great wealth of his father, then someone must, and he couldn't let one of them leave.

If one left, then that meant his money will be divided among the other eight, and he couldn't let something like that happen. It's not that he hated them, but his mind worked like that: _if my son or daughter didn't get something, then they others shouldn't get it too, they're not better than them._

Denise and Jack didn't make an obvious idea of what exactly they thought, but they didn't seem to care like Lilly.

Demi turned around after closing the door to see Taylor staring at her, there were obvious marks of tears on her face along with the black circles under her eyes making her beautiful face lose a bit of it's beauty and pureness. They were all pretty much like that anyway.

"Can we talk?" Taylor asked her.

"Me? And you?" Demi asked her confused; she had no idea what Taylor would want to talk about with her. Or maybe she had a hint, but she didn't think it was possible.

"Yes."

"Sure." She nodded still her mind running crazily trying to figure what probably Taylor would want to talk to her about. She followed her to the big living room where they sat together on the couch facing each other.

"I talked to grandpa about what happened."

Demi's head snapped towards her surprised; well, she might has had an idea she'll speak about that, but she didn't expect what she just heard.

"You did?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Well, I would have never had the nerve to ever tell anyone."

"He's the only one I told, but it's not like I don't have the nerve to tell, it's that I don't even want to talk about it with someone." Taylor told her.

"No, I'm too ashamed to ever tell."

"Why? This isn't any of your fault. Nor mine."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes, Demi, when you look at the whole picture, we're the victim."

"Yeah, each other's victim." Demi rolled her eyes.

"No, we're on the same side; we had no idea this was going to happen." She told her wisely, "Listen, I used to think the same way you do, but after talking with grandpa, he made me realize that me and you did nothing wrong."

"Well, you make sense."

"I take that nobody knows about it?" the blond one asked after a moment of silence as Demi answered by shaking her head. "Nick knows." Taylor told her.

"Huh? How do you know that?"

"The other day when Miley was crying after her call with her dad, the two of them were standing there and I thought it was them who made her cry, and it was so obvious from his looks between us that he was expecting a fight or something like that… and he gave a laugh when I snapped at Joe which made Joe glare at him after."

"Great, he's babbling about it too. Who knows who else knows?"

Hearing footsteps coming downstairs they looked at the bottom of the stairs to see Joe's body appear after a while, he didn't seem to notice them at first but he caught them from the corner of his eyes which made him turn his head towards them surprised to see them both sitting together.

"Um… good morning." He mumbled but neither Demi nor Taylor replied, they just gave him a look and turned looking at each other again. Joe sighed and took his way to the kitchen to grab something to eat wondering what they were doing together. He never saw them both talking, so he took it that they are not on good terms. He just hoped they weren't fighting.

XxXx

Miley woke up to the sound of a door closing. She opened her eyes to see that Demi just entered the room. "Oh, sorry, did I wake you up?"

"It's okay." Miley mumbled sitting down in her bed, "It's not like I have the most peaceful sleep anyway."

"What's wrong?" Demi asked her.

"What's wrong with everyone else." Miley gave a sad smile.

"Come on, Miles, I know there's more in it. Something else happened that day, right?" she said as Miley looked away and nodded slowly.

She was pretending like it didn't happen at all, but in the back of her mind, she knew that she'd have to face it sooner or later, as she knew her father won't give up that easily. And if she kept it inside her without telling anyone, she'd lose it again.

And right now, Demi was the closer one she could speak to.

"It's dad." She started, "He called me earlier that day." She paused and looked at Demi who was now sitting on her own bed totally concerned on what she has to say, "He told me that he found a job for me."

"That's good."

"No, it's not." Miley shook her head, "He wants me to get involved in the business with him, he wants me to drop out of college and just be with him." She finished as Demi had this realizing look on her face mixed with a sorry expression, "It has been my dream for so long to be a doctor and help people get better. It was a miracle that he let me attend this college, and if it wasn't for my mother's interfering, I wouldn't have joined it."

"But, you're already in it, so you can just say no and ignore him."

"I did that for the past year. But this time, he came to me with a threat, not in a direct way but he basically told me that it's either that or I stay in my college but get married to the son of a friend of his, who also happens to be my ex who was a total jerk."

"Whoa, will he really force you to marry someone?"

"He can. He's controlling like that."

"Oh, Miles." She got up and hugged her feeling the tear drops on her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

"I was going to tell grandpa, when I found him-" she cut of her sentence with a sob.

"I'm sure he's looking over us all now." She assured her, "Come on, get up and forget about it for now, go take a shower and then we'll have breakfast together."

"Okay." She wiped away her tears and gave her the best smile she could come up with and left for the bathroom as Demi looked away sighing.

Miley was so truthful with her, she didn't know she'd open up that much for her, but for some reason it made her happy, maybe because Miley actually trusted her… but on the other side, she wasn't comfortable, because she knew she wouldn't be able to open up for her like she did. It was just her, not that she didn't trust Miley, but Demi was like that, never opened up easily. Maybe she opened up a bit for Taylor just minutes ago, but that's because she was on the same side as hers, and she was the only one who knows about it.

Sure, it was awkward talking to Taylor out of all people but she made it easier for Demi when she did most of the talking and Demi just listened.

Demi sighed as she left the room and went to the kitchen to get her and Miley breakfast as she told her, maybe someday, she'd open up like Miley did… but the thing is, she didn't really want to.

XxXx

"They forgive each other and ignore me?"

"Well, dude, it makes sense, they hadn't done anything to each other; you're the monster now." Nick said as he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Why won't they at least give me a chance?"

"Give it time, bro."

Miley entered the kitchen with her and Demi's plates as she offered to take them to the kitchen after they had finished their breakfast, "Good morning." She said as she passed by them.

"G'morning." Nick answered taking another bite.

"Hey, Miley?" Joe spoke as she looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Um… I wanted to say sorry."

"For what?" she asked confused.

"The other day, you know when I told mom and she kinda made things worse between you and your dad." Well, the last thing he wanted was all his cousins to hate him, so he might fix this one now before it gets worse.

"Oh, so it was really you who told her."

"Didn't you know that?" he asked feeling stupid as Nick gave a chuckle.

"I figured." She said, "And what are you laughing at?" she couldn't help but snap at him; it wasn't the first time he goes laughing while she's talking with his brother, and she just concluded he's laughing at her.

"My brother's stupidity, why does it bother you?"

"Oh, maybe it because it seems like you're laughing at me." She rolled her eyes.

"No, no, you got it wrong." He defended himself.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes and turned around leaving them both.

"Turns out you are the one in the bad situation not me." Joe told him.

"Where did that come from?"

"Remember last time when you went off laughing at the situation between me and Taylor? She must have thought you were making fun of her, and now that."

"Well, I wasn't."

"She doesn't know that."

"Is it that bad?"

"Why do you care?" Joe said mimicking him from earlier.

"I don't, it's just, I didn't expect her to take it that way."

"Well, you need to correct her information about you."

"It's not that big of a deal, Joe." He rolled his eyes and took the last bite of his sandwich. "I'm going; I need to make a phone call."

"Delta?"

"Who else?"

"Alright, tell her I said hi." He said as Nick nodded and left him and went outside and straight to the garden picking up his phone to call his girlfriend.

"Hello?" she answered making him smile.

"Good morning."

"Nick?"

"Did you expect someone else?" he joked.

"Oh, no, Nick, I miss you."

"I do too. But…"

"What?"

"I have to stay for a month."

"A month? Why?"

"Grandpa left us all his wealth but he said we have to stay in his house for a month to take the money."

"And by 'us' you mean…? You, your parents and brothers?" she asked a little hopefully.

"No, me and my cousins." He frowned.

"Oh," she said trying to hide her disappointment, "Then, you have to stay." She told him.

"I don't know, I was considering leaving."

"What? No way. You can't let that chance go, you know how much you're going to get."

"That's all you care about? The money I will get?"

"Of course not," she said nervously, "I mean, it'll be great for you to start your recording company right after graduation, and with this money, you will be able to do that."

"That's what's making me stay." He sighed.

"Good." She said, "So, you better keep your eyes off of those girls there."

"Are you kidding me?" he chucked, "They're my cousins."

"Oh yeah." He could imagine her rolling her eyes, "Just wanted to remind you." She said as he shook his head knowing what she's talking about, "After all, you can still be with one of them… and you'd rather them than me."

"And why would I do that now?"

"They're richer than me." She said with a shrug. Nick was surprised; he didn't deal with that part of her before, the part that cared about money… he may not act like it, but he noticed. He noticed how she talked like she was afraid of losing the money, and losing him after he gets the money. He noticed, but he still ignored, at least for now.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Where's Selena?" Liam asked his blond half-sister.

"In the room." She sighed.

"What's wrong? I haven't seen her around in a while." He asked concerned.

"Well, first, she got a good five minutes of shouting from mom which crushed her and second, she's upset, Liam."

"Why?"

"Grandpa just passed away if you hadn't noticed. Everybody is upset." She snapped.

It was true. Everybody was upset for sure; they just didn't really show it by going on talking about any and every subject but their grandpa. But they were still not over the fact that he's really gone for good.

"Taylor, don't talk to me like I don't care about him."

"Doesn't seem like you do."

"Well, I do, I'm sad, okay? But, I don't have to cry all the time or lock myself up in my room so you know I'm upset."

"I didn't say you have to do that, Liam." She softened for hearing the sadness in his voice, "But, you actually weren't treating him well."

"And that's what's making me even more upset than any of you."

"Why were you so mean with him?"

"I don't know, but the whole idea of getting to know the cousins doesn't seem pleasant to me and I couldn't help but blame him for having to stay with them."

"Why, Liam? They haven't harmed you in any way!"

"Taylor, they're not good. I can never forgive them." He frowned.

"Forgive them for doing what?"

"Why would I want to make up with people who don't care about me? Why would I try and be friends with them again when they are okay without me?"

"Who told you they are?"

"Well, if they actually cared, they would have tried to contact us for the last fifteen years, Tay." He rolled his eyes, "But no, none of them even tried."

"Well, most of them were too young back then, Liam. When the family started falling apart, the youngest of us were six and the oldest – Kevin was eleven." She stated angrily, "You can't blame them. If you have to put the blame on someone then it's you and Kevin. You two were the oldest… you were the most expected to try and call the others." She explained her point of view.

"Whatever." He said annoyed.

She knew there was no point to argue with him now. She knew he's not going to listen to her, at least for the mean moment.

"I'm going to see her." She sighed standing up as he just nodded.

Taylor headed upstairs to her and her sister's room. The door opened with a crack making her face the semi- dark room. Selena was sitting on her bed reading, which was a surprise; Selena never reads.

"What are you doing, Sel?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? Reading!"

"I know, I mean you never read?"

"Not never. I do read."

"So, what are you reading?"

"A fashion magazine." She answered.

"Of course." Taylor said as a matter of fact. "Sel, what's wrong with you?"

"What? What is wrong with me?"

"You're mad."

"Um, Grandpa just died, I have to stay here for a MONTH, mom just yelled at me for God knows why… I should be thrilled, right?"

"Everybody's upset, but they're not acting bitchy." Taylor rolled her eyes.

"There she goes again," Selena rolled her eyes back, "Why can't you be mature?"

"Oh, I'm the immature now? I'm not the one who gets upset and lock myself in my room because my mother yelled at me."

"Well, she shouldn't have, I was already upset because of grandpa, and she just went off and screamed at me for nothing."

"For nothing, huh?" Taylor said, "You know what, I won't even bother talking about it for the what… billionth time?"

"I have problems, Taylor."

"I have harder problems. Ones even you don't know about." She glared at her, "And still I'm not acting like you… I'm not going off doing-"

"Stop." She yelled, "Taylor, please leave me alone now." She looked on the verge of tears.

"Alright," she knew better than arguing with her right now, "But remember I care for you, Sel." And with that she left the room just for Selena to start crying.

XxXx

"Dinner is ready." Sara was scanning the house announcing these words.

Everybody was heading downstairs to the table to have dinner… dinner wasn't a pleasant meal right now; they had to share it together, it was one of Albert's structures that he only told people around him and not in the will.

Miley was heading downstairs lost in her thoughts which contained her problems with her father and his controlling self when she pumped into someone falling to the ground, she looked up to see it was Nick, she fought the argue to roll her eyes and pushed herself up and was heading away like nothing happened when he spoke.

"FYI, I wasn't laughing at you." She turned around surprised; for some reason she didn't expect him to ever say that, maybe she saw him as a jerk with no heart? Actually, this idea was formed in her mind about Nick and Liam. "I was just laughing about something happened with Joe, and it has nothing to do with you."

"Um, it's alright, I was mad anyway, I over reacted." She answered; and just with those words he just said, she changed her idea of him! You can tell now, that Miley doesn't make up her mind quickly; she changes her mind in seconds.

"Uh, we should probably head to dinner?"

"Yeah, right." She suddenly remembered as she was focused in her stupid thoughts about people and how fast those thoughts completely change.

After dinner, while they were having desert, Miley's phone rang she looked at the screen and immediately felt nervous. _Why is he calling? Again!_

She rejected the call only for him to re-call again, she rejected it again; there was no way she would answer him. She sighed knowing for a fact that her father has something to do with it.

Why else would her ex suddenly call her after she made it as clear as sunlight that she hates him for playing with her heart… and it just happened that her father wants her to marry him at the mean time, huh?

But after rejecting the call four times he didn't give up and sent her a message, she rolled her eyes and chose not to open it, still she didn't delete it.

"What's wrong?" Demi whispered asking her as they were leaving the dining room when they were finally finished eating.

"He called." She said sadly.

"Your father?"

"No, Jake."

"Oh," she gave her a sorry look, "What did he want?"

"I dunno, I didn't answer." She looked at the phone in her hand hesitantly, "He sent a message though." She looked up at her again.

"Open it then."

"I don't want to." She looked away.

"Listen, Miley, whatever they do, they won't make you do something you don't want. I know you're strong like that."

"But-"

"No, you're getting through this… and I'm here with you."

"Really, Demi?"

"Yes, I'm." she smiled at her. Demi never knew how those last words she said affected her cousin.

"Alright, let's see the message."

'_Plz answer me, Mi. I've a lot to say to you- Jake.'_

They didn't get the chance to comment on the message as her phone started ringing announcing her father's attempt to call her. Miley looked at Demi and sighed before answering.

"Hello, dad."

"Miley, the boy is dying." He said calmly.

"That's why you're calling me, dad?"

"Yes, Miley, he called me and he wants to talk to you badly."

"But I don't want to, dad." She said annoyed as he gave a huff.

"Listen, Miley, you know his dad owns a big company and if we became partners we could-"

"I don't care."

"Excuse me?"

"I don't care, dad." She repeated, "You don't care for my happiness and I don't care for your business."

"Well, you don't have the choice, I'm your father and-"

"Stop being controlling. I'm independent now, I'm 21 and I can make my own choices."

"Doesn't mean they're always right."

"Then I have to deal with the consequences."

"I don't care for this bullshit you're saying, I made up a great plan for you and you're stupid if you don't want it. I'll call you later when you are back to your mind." And with that the line went dead.

"Why is this happening to me?!" she gritted her teeth throwing her phone on the bed.

"He's calling for him?"

"Yes, he wants me to call him or God knows what!" she said frustrated.

"Don't answer his calls."

"He's still my dad."

"He's not acting like a one." Demi shrugged.

"You're right. If it ever crossed his mind to make sure I'm okay, he could ask mom." She nodded.

"Now, chill. Life is short." Demi nudged her as Miley smiled.

"Are you okay? I feel like there's something bothering you too, I waited for you to tell but you didn't." Miley said a little concerned.

For a part of the second, Demi looked down with shame. But then she looked up at her and smiled reassuringly and shook her head.

"No, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You can tell me, you know? I won't tell anyone."

"I know, if there's ever something bothering me, I will tell you." She half lied.

And before Miley answer her, the door knocked and opened relieving Taylor.

"Sorry, guys, but have you seen Selena?"

"No, we're here since dinner ended, what happened?" Demi answered her.

"I don't know, I just can't find her right now. Anyway, she may be here or there." She seemed over thinking when she finished the sentence and left.

"What's wrong?" Miley asked confused looking at the spot where Taylor disappeared.

"I have no idea; maybe she needs her for something."

"Maybe." Miley shrugged.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Where were you?" Taylor asked Selena when she entered their room at 3 a.m.

"Oh, you're still up?" she laughed.

"Waiting for you." She stood up and walked towards her, "You're drunk."

Selena looked at her dumbfounded and then shrugged.

"Sel, you need to stop."

"What?"

"Nothing, you won't remember what I'm saying anyway." She huffed, "Go to sleep now." She pushed her down on her bed as she lied down and closed her eyes quickly sinking in deep sleep.

"God, I don't know what to do with you." Taylor looked at her with tears in her eyes as she started thinking again trying to find solutions for her sister's endless issues.

And as always. Nothing.

XxXx

Demi wasn't able to sleep that night, she was trying to figure her cousin out; how could she open up to her that quickly? Wasn't she afraid that Demi will tell her secrets? After all, she didn't take so much time in knowing her!

As a fact, Demi still couldn't open up to her like that! She couldn't tell her about the situation with Taylor and Joe.

And she felt guilty.

But then again, how could she be guilty if she doesn't want to tell her own secret, isn't that up to her? Then she's not doing something wrong, right? It's not like they're best friends, right?

After all, Miley didn't tell her everything, she mentioned something about her best friend when they met, but she never told her about that. Maybe she just told her about her dad because she was their at that time!

Convinced with that idea, Demi cleared her mind and shook off the feelings of guilt and closed her eyes falling into light slumber full of pictures of Miley, her dad and the faceless Jake in a dream and in another, she saw pictures of an angry Miley, a laughing Joe and a disappointed Taylor.

XxXx

Next morning, Joe entered the kitchen to see his younger brother sitting their staring at nothing, he was lost in thoughts.

"G'morning" Joe yawned as the curly haired brother looked up at him with lost eyes for a second then his expression shifted to a questioning one.

"Yes? Joe?"

"Are you okay?" he frowned.

"Just over thinking."

"Hey, guys." Kevin entered the kitchen greeting his other two brothers, as the older two grabbed something to eat and joined Nick on the table.

"What's up, Kev?" Joe punched his shoulder playfully.

"Nothing much." He said looking at Nick who was back to his staring state, "What's wrong with him?"

"Dunno, I was just asking him." Joe shrugged.

"Hey, Nick, what's wrong?" Kevin asked him making his sandwich.

"Have you guys ever been used?"

"Used? What kind of using? Why are you asking anyway?" Kevin frowned.

"It's Delta." He sighed.

"You think Delta is using you?" Joe asked with a look of disgust.

"I don't know." He shook his head.

"What happened?"

"Just how she talks; you don't imagine how ecstatic she was when she knew about the will. The only thing that got her worried and annoyed was that I'm staying here with the girls, and it's only because they're gonna be rich. But I let that one go, after that she was throwing hints on what we can do with the money and how much I'll get and stuff like that."

"But Delta likes you from the very first beginning. Before she knew you're getting that money." Joe clarified.

"I don't know, dude. Joe might be right. She was there for you! You know that I don't really like her, but you may be over worried, after all, you can't think right at the moment. You're confused of everything." Kevin told him.

"You're right, guys. What was I thinking? She loves me and I love her, it's just something new to her. It's not like I wasn't going to be happy if it was her."

"Yeah, right. Besides, how could she use you?"

"You're the last person to talk about using people." Nick mumbled so Kevin wouldn't catch.

"Yes, Nick, but be careful, man. We don't need more drama."

"I'm careful, but she won't be using me, she's not bad, Kev. Just try to know her."

"I'll try. When we go home." Kevin told him finishing his last bite of his sandwich and getting up. He put his plate in the sink and left them telling them he'll go check if Danielle is awake and make some calls.

"Good morning." A new sleepy voice entered the kitchen with a yawn as the two brothers looked up to see it was Miley.

"Hey, Miley."

She wandered around the kitchen searching for something to eat and then she looked at them hesitantly.

"I usually have breakfast with Demi but she's still asleep, so, can I join you guys for the morning?"

"Yeah, sure." Joe said and shifted aside pointing to the chair beside him as she smiled and sat down.

"So, how is living here going with you?" Joe asked her starting a conversation.

"Great. I guess it's better than home."

"Lucky." Nick mumbled but she heard him as she looked at him and he expected her to start asking why and what's wrong, and he really didn't want to talk about anything again, especially in the second time he talks to her.

"No, because sooner or later I have to go home again." She sighed. Well, at least she didn't question.

"Do you hate it there?" Joe asked her a little taken aback. He knew there were problems with her father, but that bad?

"You only know a bit of the problems, you have no idea how it goes back there. Besides dad isn't my only issue." She shrugged like she was talking about the weather today; she didn't want to seem pathetic more than she already does.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, we all have problems." Nick shrugged as Joe nodded.

"So, you and Demi are close now, huh?" Joe changed the topic.

"Yeah, we're." Miley smiled finishing making her sandwich. "She's an amazing girl." She said making Joe smile. But then she remembered Demi bad mouthing them especially Joe, she wandered if she could ask about it or not… but then she decided she shouldn't.

Nick's ringtone blasted through the air making their eyes wander directly towards the cell phone placed on the kitchen table. Nick took the phone and looked at the screen before smiling.

"Excuse me, I got to answer this." He said standing up.

"Your girlfriend?" Miley smiled as he looked at her confused for a moment before nodding and leaving the kitchen.

"How did you know?"

"That smile." She said referring to Nick's smile when he checked the caller ID, that smile that used to be on _her_ face whenever _Jake_ called.

"Well, I should go too. Gotta call mom and wake that lazy of a roommate." She said standing up throwing the rest of her sandwich in the trash and putting the plate in the sink then leaving Joe to his thoughts…

So, Demi hasn't told Miley about her hatred to Joe clearly. That's good on his side; at least one cousin doesn't hate him.

XxXx

They were just having dinner when Sara suddenly entered the room and cleaned her throat to get their attention. They all looked at her confused as she was holding empty bottles in her hands and looking a little worried.

"I've found these in the garden, who does they belong to?" she asked concerned. It was obvious to everyone that whoever owns those bottles must be an alcoholic to drink all of those.

"Um, yeah, they're mine." Out of the blue, Justin spoke.

Everyone looked at him in surprise. Justin who barely talks or show his face in the house? Well, maybe that's the reason; he's always drinking!

"You drink?" Liam was the first to show his surprise as Taylor and Selena looked at each other and then at Justin again.

"Actually, th-"

"Yes, I do, ask Selena, she helped me last night with the mess I made."

"Be careful, boy. This amount may cause you damage." Sara said and turned away with the bottles shaking her head.

After dinner, Selena was waiting around the corner for Justin to come and once she saw him she pulled his hand and dragged him away.

"What the hell?" she hissed angrily.

"What?"

"Don't what me. Why did you say they were yours?" she glared.

"I just saved your ass and that's what I get?"

"Look, don't play with me here. I asked you, why did you lie?"

"Because, you won't want them to know it was you."

"What the hell you're saying? What's the problem with them knowing?"

"Listen, it would have been bad if their first impression about you is that you drink that much."

"Are you crazy? I don't care about them."

"They'd have bothered you."

"Listen, I know you want to use it against me, but I'm telling you, you won't have this chance and-"

"Whoa, whoa… use what against you? I helped you to get to your room last night, I won't use anything."

"This bullshit you're saying doesn't get into my head. I'm just telling you that you won't be able to harm me, alright?"

"Alright, if that would make you let me go now." He rolled his eyes as she glared at him and released her grip on his arm and quickly turned and left.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"I told you, we're not even speaking."

"They're four, but-"

"What the hell? I'm sick of going through this everyday."

"Delta, I'll just call you later." And with that Nick hung up frustrated and turned around to meet two blue orbs staring at him guiltily.

"I'm sorry, I just got here, I promise I wasn't listening or anything, I just didn't know you're here." Miley explained quickly. "I guess I just have to go." She turned around.

"It's alright." He mumbled as she stopped and faced him again. She knew by that look that he was hurt.

"Is everything okay?"

"No," he shook his head and sighed sitting on the grass of the garden, it was one of those hidden spots in the huge garden, which has a lot of trees and just is calm.

"It's your girlfriend right?" she moved closer not sure if she should stay or just leave.

"Yes, it is. She's been acting really weird since I got here." Well, good start, which encouraged her to move closer and sit next to him.

"Why does it seems like staying here made problems for everyone?" she frowned, by the look of it, they're all struggling to get along with the life there.

"Does that mean you're not having problems here?"

"Here is running away from my problems." She gave a chuckle.

"Lucky for you then."

"So, you're studying music, huh?"

He was surprised that she didn't ask about Delta, but at the same time glad, he didn't want to talk about it anyway, well, not with her. "Um, yeah, I want to open a recording company."

"Wow, that's great."

"And you, you are studying…"

"I'm gonna be a doctor. In medical school." She reminded knowing he forgot, well, that didn't surprise her.

"Yeah, sorry. But that's a good career."

"Yeah, it's been my dream for so long."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked when the conversation was paused and replaced with the awkward silence, little did he knew that he made it more awkward for her.

"Uh, not right now." She answered shortly and he noticed so he didn't ask more.

And there it was again, the awkward silence. But suddenly she stood up and started moving slowly focusing on something, when he followed her gaze he caught the sight of a small squirrel. And moments later she was running after it around the place.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" he jumped up towards her when she was ready to climb a tree after it.

"It's limping, I guess it has a broken leg." She explained as she was already up and slowly reaching for the small frightened animal. "There, I got it." She exclaimed and carefully climbed down.

She held it in her hands and showed it to him, "See? Told you, it's broken."

"You're crazy." He chuckled.

"Hey, I'm not leaving it like that, besides I've always wanted to pet a squirrel."

"When you were like what? Five?" he said sarcastically.

"Since then." She smiled jokingly and started to head towards the house again, when she found he was still in his place, she turned around raising an eyebrow, "Aren't you coming? Don't you want to help me with my first patient?"

He chuckled shaking his head and followed her.

XxXx

"Justin?"

The boy turned around to see the tall blond running his way.

"Have you seen her?" she asked as soon as she reached him.

"Who?"

"Selena!"

"Not since yesterday."

"God!"

"What's wrong?"

"I can't find her again. She's not anywhere in the house, nor the garden, and her car is here so is mine and Liam's!" she explained. "I don't know where she disappears to." She huffed.

"She disappeared this morning?"

"No, after dinner last night."

"Have you asked anyone else?"

"No." she hesitated.

"I think we should." He said and took her arm searching for someone. And the first to see was Joe, "Hey, dude, have you seen Selena?"

"Selena? No." he frowned.

"Have you searched the far corner of the garden?" Justin turned to Taylor again who nodded.

"The whole garden actually."

And all of a sudden, there was a deadly scream.

"Oh, God."

They quickly jogged towards the sound to find most of the inhabitants of the house there.

"What's wrong?" they were at the top of a staircase that leads to one of the cellars or the basements. Taylor wasn't really sure.

A maid came running from down with a frightened look on her face, "Down, she's down, I don't know what's wrong, I just found her, I swear." She kept rambling but no one waited to hear all her words as they all went down to see Selena on the ground with ropes around her body not allowing her to move and a muzzle on her face, and she was unconscious.

"Selena!" Taylor yelled between the gasps and shocked noises and ran towards her and untied her and tried to hold her as Liam went to help her with Demi who tried to hold her too, but Selena's siblings took that mission.

"Where's the nurse?" Taylor yelled over her shoulder as she was laying her sister on a bed.

"I'm sorry, miss, but she's not here; she left." Sara said.

"Miley is in medical school." Nick blurted out.

"I just finished my first year." Her eyes widened, "but I guess I can take care of her until you get a doctor." She said.

"Please?" Taylor asked as Miley put the squirrel aside as Nick took it, she didn't even realize it was still in her hands.

A while after when Selena was waking up, the doctor arrived and they left the room so he could see her, but Miley has already expected there was nothing serious.

"What the hell just happened?" Demi said puzzled.

"I don't know, I mean, she was tied up. Who the hell could have done that?" Miley said.

"Him." Liam said pointing an accusing finger towards Justin, "He's never in his bed until very late." He said with hatred.

"What?" Justin said shocked at his words.

"And we all found out he's drinking. A lot. So, why not play around while drunk? Right?" he yelled at him.

"No, I-"

"You what? Who in the hell would do this?" Liam shouted.

"Liam, he's not drinking." Taylor said as he looked at her angrily.

"What do you mean? You were there yesterday when-"

"He's not drinking, okay?" she yelled at him.

"Then what do you explain the-"

"It's her." No point to hide it anymore.

"What?"

"It's Selena. And _he_ helped her get to her room."

"What are you saying?"

"The truth." She snapped at him and he looked between her and Justin to see no protests and he just sat there surprised.

The door opened and the doctor came out as all eyes went towards him waiting for his announcement, "Well, she's alright, nothing bad, she's just shocked and frightened by what happened and she's a little drunk, but not that much, and I suggest for her to take those medicines." He said handing them a paper as Taylor reached out for it,

"Thanks, doctor."

"Oh, and she definitely needs rest, she's asleep now, but she may wake up scared. I guess what happened really freaked her out."

"Alright, how long will it take her to get over it?"

"Not so long. The psychosomatic part will have the major role though."

"Thank you."

"I can go get the medicines, ma'am." One of the maids offered as the doctor left, Taylor looked at her and saw she was the one who found Selena.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, ma'am."

"Fine." She gave her the paper and the maid left to go get the medicines.

XxXx

"Come in." Taylor said as the door opened and Justin entered the semi dark room.

"How's she doing?" he asked Taylor who sighed and looked at her sleeping sister.

"She's fine, I guess, she woke up once, cried a bit, took the meds, and slept again." She said tiredly.

"I wonder what happened."

"Don't we all?" she gave a smile as he returned it.

"Anyway, if you needed anything, I'm right there, I don't sleep now." He told her as she thanked him and he left.

"Hey, Taylor." Danielle, Demi and Miley entered the room, apparently, the dinner which Taylor skipped tonight, ended a while ago.

"Hey, come on."

"Is she okay?"

"Fine." She said, she was too tired to tell the short sentence she just told Justin a minute ago.

"You know what? You're tired, you can go to sleep and we'll take care of her." Demi told her.

"No, no, it's okay. I can survive."

"No, not like this. And seriously, why do you have to stay when there's someone else to take care of her?" Miley said.

"Are you guys sure? You'd get bored."

"No, not if the three of us stayed." Danielle smiled.

"I dunno."

"Just go to sleep."

"Fine." She actually was really tired, and she was glad that for once, there was someone else to do that job for her.

She is used to take care of drunken or high Selena, and it was really tiring, and to know there was someone who could help at least for once felt good.

**Hey guys, thank you everyone who reviewed the previous chapters :)**

**And I know it's confusing and full of unanswered questions but everything will be explained… I already have up until chapter 15 written :) so, I promise it's gonna be explained soon… maybe the only thing that will still be a secret is what happened with Selena… I mean who tied her up and all :)**

**Oh, and go check up my very first collab 'Lightweight' it's on ****iibelieveindreamers's profile I really love this story and also check out her stories if you haven't already, they're amazing :D**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Selena opened her eyes slowly and looked around her to see three bodies, one on a chair next her, another at the end of the bed and the third on the couch. They were all passed away.

She looked to the one next her and knew it was Miley. She got confused, but suddenly it hit her as she remembered what happened to her, she winced making a small movement that woke Miley up.

"Oh, hey, you're up. Are you okay?" she asked her, as Selena looked at her strangely.

"Is she up?" Danielle asked from her place on the couch waking Demi up, they seemed like they were just resting, not really asleep.

"Yes," Miley nodded, "Selena, are you okay?" she repeated her question.

"I don't know." She shook her head and her lower lip quivered.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, nothing is wrong. Do you remember what happened?" Demi said quietly as Selena nodded. "It's alright, nothing is going to happen now."

"Is it time for the meds yet?" Danielle asked as she was now on the other side of the bed.

"Not yet, still in an hour." Miley said glancing at the clock.

A while after, when Selena was calmer, Demi thought it's okay to ask her about what happened,

"Do you remember what happened?"

It took Selena a while to respond as she closed her eyes and nodded.

"Well, do you think you can tell us?" Danielle asked her.

And to that one they got no respond at all.

"Selena, we need to know. Everybody is freaking out, I mean they all wonder who could it be, and your brother is going crazy accusing every and any one." Miley told her as Selena just looked at her, "Please?"

"Where's Taylor?" Selena asked.

"She was tired, so we took her place as she went to rest." Demi answered, "It's okay, you can tell us."

"You don't know me." She closed her eyes.

"The doctor said you were a little drunk." Danielle blurted after a while of silence. Selena's eyes shot towards her glaring, "It's okay, Selena, tell us, we won't judge you."

"Well," she started after another silent moment and they almost gave up on her telling anything, "I was in the garden when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around but they were quickly to blindfold me. Yes, I was drunk, but I remember, I wasn't fully wasted, but I was a little weak though. I tried screaming but I couldn't; I was already tied up and being dragged to God knows where. They finally stopped and I was left on the floor where I kept hearing dreadful voices, I guess there were also hisses… and… I don't know, it was so scary down there." There she went off crying again.

"It's okay now. You're not alone, and you're okay." Danielle hugged her while Miley on her other side rubbed her back.

"I don't know who did this, or what they wanted, I was just left there with the sounds and tied up so I can't do anything." She cried.

"It's okay, they're not here." Danielle soothed.

"Selena, it's better you sleep, I'll wake you to take your meds. But just sleep for now." Miley told her as she nodded and closed her eyes; her sobs slowly fading as her breath got slower and she drifted into sleep.

"What the hell happened? Who's that?" Demi asked with wide eyes, as the other two looked at her dumbfounded. None of them clearly had an answer.

XxXx

"Who the hell would want to hurt her?" Liam yelled frustrated glaring.

"I don't know, that's what she said."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not saying anything; I just told you her story." Demi yelled back as Liam huffed.

"Taylor, does she have a crazy ex or something?" he asked his sister.

They were all gathered the next morning right after breakfast talking about what happened, as Demi just said what Selena told them the night before.

"Not recently. They're all having their own lives now." She frowned thinking.

"Then, what the hell is this?" he yelled again, "We should call the police."

"No, I don't think we should." Taylor shook her head.

"What?!"

"She's okay, Liam, there's no harm done." She said annoyed.

"But-"

"Just drop this one. It's a bad idea." She cut him off annoyed.

"Do you think it's one of the servants?" Kevin suggested hissing.

"Why would they want to harm her?" Taylor shook her head. "It's probably someone she knows."

"I'm going to have some rest." Liam huffed and left the room.

"You too, girls, I guess, you need to sleep, you've been up the whole night next her." Taylor said gratefully.

"Right, I guess I need a nap." Danielle said yawning as Taylor smiled at her.

"I'm going to just lie there and relax a little bit, don't feel the need to sleep." Demi said standing up too, "You coming, Miles?"

"Nah, I'm going to survive." She smiled, "Besides, you're going to fall asleep anyway."

"No, I-"

"By now, I realize you're a heavy sleeper, Demi." She said as she stuck her tongue out at her. There was a progress between them, especially those two; they've become more comfortable around each other. Miley, too, has adapted t being around her cousins, she was acting like herself more now, not her fully going out personality, but it's getting close.

"Fine." Demi said mimicking Miley's move and left smiling.

"And, I'm going to check on her." Taylor said.

"Hey, Nick, what are you doing?" Kevin asked his younger brother as everyone left looked at him. It wasn't until then that Nick realized he was playing with the squirrel.

"Playing with Martin."

"Martin, huh?" Kevin said standing up ready to leave too, as Justin did the same.

"Yup."

"Not even going to ask."

"You named it?" Miley smiled as she moved closer looking at the squirrel. Miley got to help it and fix its leg before the whole Selena thing happened.

"Yup. We're best buddies now. He spent the night with me." He smiled at her.

"Cool." She said giving him a weird look. "And you were making fun of me!" she chuckled as he smiled.

"Who do you think did this?"

"I don't know, I don't know her, or if she knows someone who would do that, but the question is, how did they get in with all the people living here? How did they manage to not get caught?"

"Right! Actually, this is scary."

"It is."

Later that night, when Miley and Demi were sitting in their room as Taylor and Danielle took care of Selena that night –even though she was already better, but she was still scared- the door knocked and who was there surprised the two girls… it was Liam!

"Um, can I talk to you?" he asked looking between them.

"Yeah, sure." Demi nodded.

He entered and closed the door behind him.

"I just… um… I want to say thank you for taking care of Sel last night."

"You don't need to," Miley shook her head.

"But I wanted to." He shrugged as Demi and Miley both looked at each other confused. After all, Liam was the last one there to be nice, or so they thought.

"Well, we are glad we did, we're cousins after all." Miley smiled at him and surprisingly he returned it.

"And I'm sorry about my previous yelling, I was just stressed."

"It's okay we get it." Demi reassured.

"Great. Now, uh, I'm going to check on her." He stood up and walked to the door.

"Hey, Liam!" Demi called.

"Yes?"

"Why are you being nice now? I'm curious to know." She frowned as he sighed. She knew she shouldn't have asked something like that, but she couldn't hold it.

"Gotta cope." He shrugged smiling, "besides, it won't hurt me being nice, huh?" he smirked.

"Never."

"Then, be nice it is." He shrugged and left as he was already half out.

"That's weird." Miley commented as Demi agreed by nodding as the door knocked again, this time Demi got up and opened it to find Nick.

"Um, Miley?" he said barely hearable, but she moved aside anyway.

"Oh, hey." Miley said instantly noticing the small animal in his hands.

"I just wanted to drop Martin by."

"Are you sick of nursing it?" she laughed.

"No, but me and Joe are fighting over him."

"Huh?"

"Joe claims that he's biting him while he's asleep."

"He can't walk right." Miley frowned taking the squirrel from him.

"I know, but Joe is acting weird since yesterday."

"Maybe he's the one who attacked the poor girl." Demi mumbled but he could hear her as he turned facing her.

"No, actually, I don't think he did." He said blankly as Miley felt the tension between them so she cleared her throat.

"Alright, I can take care of it; it was my idea to bring it anyway." She chuckled nervously.

"Right." He said, "I should probably go."

"Better." Demi muttered again as he rolled his eyes but didn't reply.

"Oh, and I called Delta and she said she'll come, thanks for your advice." He turned around again and smiled at her.

"Oh really? That's great." She smiled back.

"Yeah, so see you later." With that he left.

"I see you're getting close, huh?" Demi said a little bitterly.

"It was just a couple of conversations, but he told me about his girlfriend, apparently he needed to share this." Miley shrugged.

"I feel bad for the girl." Demi raised an eyebrow and said, which made Miley laugh.

"Hey, why do you hold a grudge for them?" she asked her.

"I just don't like them, Miles. And I don't want you to get hurt when you're close to them."

"You can't judge; you haven't tried them." Miley told her as if not waiting for a reply as silence fell for a while until Demi bit her lip and sighed,

"Actually-"

"WHAT? HOW IN THE HELL?" they heard yelling as they left the room frowning to see what's wrong again and went to the outside of the one where Selena was where Liam and Taylor were fighting.

"Calm down-"

"SHUT UP, CALM DOWN, HUH? HOW CAN I? SINCE WHEN DOES MY LITTLE SISTER IS DOING DRUGS?"

"LIAM." Taylor yelled as she saw the others gathering. "Happy?" she glared and entered Selena's room slamming the door in his face.

"DON'T THINK THE CONVERSATION IS OVER, TAYLOR." He screamed, "NOR YOU, SELENA."

"Ahem, guys." They heard and turned around to see Sara with Justin looking as tired as ever. He was leaning on her and she was holding his shoulder to keep his balance, "I found him about to faint." She whispered a little horrified.

"What?"

"Again?"

"Oh, God."

There were obvious bruises on his face and a thin line of blood running from the corner of his lips. Looks of confusion, fright, and horror shot towards him, yet everyone was so socked that they weren't able to catch him on time when he collapsed on the floor.

_Hehehe.. too much to get huh? So, basically, Selena doesn't know who did this and she's doing drugs. Justin also got attacked. Niley is getting closer. Demi was about to tell Miley something :P and…. DELTA IS COMING :D who's excited? Review maybe? :)_


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"How is he?" Taylor asked Demi who was currently checking on Justin as everybody else was asleep. Actually, Danielle was asleep on the couch opposite his bed. She has offered to be the one staying with him that night.

"As he's, didn't wake up yet." The girl said as she checked his pulse like the doctor told them to do to find it was getting better. "But progressing." She added.

"That's too much." Taylor shook her head.

"How's your sister?" she bit her lip.

"Slept crying." She sighed.

"Um, can we talk to her tomorrow?"

"We?"

"Uh, yeah, me and Miley. We want to." She bit her lip.

_Great, everybody is talking about it now, thanks to Liam. _Taylor thought, _how can I blame them, though? _She nodded her head at Demi, "Sure."

"Great."

Everyone was fazed. Two attacks? Seriously?

Selena's case was nothing compared to Justin's. It wasn't that serious too, but at least Selena was only emotionally and mentally hurt, but Justin's was physically too.

And then again, it was the thing with Selena doing drugs. Does it have something to do with the attack? It'd make sense. But Justin? Why? Is he also involved?

Actually, Liam was suspicious about that; he connected between both of the incidents. He thought that Justin knew about the drugs thing. He was almost sure. The more he thinks about it, the more he gets more frustrated and the more it makes sense in his mind. He was just waiting for him to wake up, and he promised himself to make him go in coma again!

XxXx

"Selena?"

"Go away."

"But Selena-"

"I don't want to talk, Taylor."

"It's not me who wants to talk; it's Demi and Miley."

"I don't want to talk to anyone."

"Selena, I promise we won't say anything offensive or something." Demi tried.

"Go away, brat." She screamed and they heard something hit the door. Whatever she has thrown has been smashed badly.

"I guess, we'd talk later then." Demi sighed.

"Please don't get insulted by her words; she's just…"

"Upset?"

"Emotional?"

"I guess so." Taylor nodded.

"Don't lie," they heard a scream that was now familiar as Liam's.

"Damn, what is wrong with him now?" Taylor rolled her eyes and went to Justin's room to see the yell was directed at Justin who was now awake.

"Liam, what the hell are you doing?" she screamed at him.

"That idiot won't tell me why he did that to Selena."

"Did what? You already went crazy."

"I know he's involved in the attack and the drug thing, I saw her arguing with him the night she got attacked."

"He has nothing to do with neither of those, stop being stupid."

"He's a-"

"STOP." She screamed loudly this time that he got surprised and shut up.

"Fine, but I'll know all about it."

"I'll tell you all about it when you're back into your right state of mind." Taylor told him. "Now get out." He didn't move, "GET OUT, LIAM." And he did. "Are you okay?"

"Thank you."

"He's being stupid, lately."

"What was he talking about?" that's when they remembered that Justin still doesn't know about the drug thing with Selena, Taylor sighed and told him, there was no point to hide it from him now.

"Oh, I guess, he's just shocked." He seemed shocked himself. Taylor nodded and changed the subject…

"What happened? How did this happen to you?"

"I don't know, I was in my way towards the house when someone hit my head and knocked me out, I woke up in a dark place and I tried to find my way out, I don't remember that part clearly because I was really dizzy, but I remember a lot of pain."

"Someone was there?"

"Couldn't be sure."

"This is just crazy." She shook her head.

"Who could that person possibly be?" Miley spoke up, "You're not involved in anything, right?" she bit her lip.

"No," he shook his head, and that seemed to cool her off.

"Well, you don't have anything serious, just take those pain killers, and you'll be alright." Taylor said and handed him some pills and a glass of water.

"Alright, I don't feel that bad anyway." He said before shifting in his bed so he set down, and that's when he found the pain, "Actually I take that back."

"You'll be fine soon."

XxXx

"I don't know how no one out of the twelve people in the house moves to open the damn door." Demi huffed as she made her way to the front door, "How did the person get through the front gate anyway?" she opened the door to see a tall blond girl with curly hair and huge sun glasses covering half of her face. She was wearing a short black skirt with a cream top, yet it looked classy on her. And most importantly she had suitcases with her.

"Who are you?" was the first thing that the stranger said.

"You're the one knocking on my door." Demi raised an eyebrow crossing her arms.

"Oh, you're one of them!" she realized as Demi frowned, "So, where is Nick?"

"You still didn't tell me who you're and how did you get through the gate outside?" she realized by now that this must be Delta, Nick's girlfriend, but she wasn't friendly, so why should Demi be?

"I'm his girlfriend, dummy." She let out a chuckle, "Where's he now?"

"Wait a second, please." She fake smiled and half closed the door and left searching for the youngest of the three brothers. "Nick!"

"Yes?" he came down after a while.

"Your girlfriend is outside."

"Delta?" his face broke into a smile as he ran to the front door and opened it only for his smile to fade at the frown of the girl.

"Who's that bitch who opened the door?"

"I'm the bitch?" Demi came from behind Nick.

"Yes, you're, you left me outside."

"And you thought you own the place."

"What's happening?" Miley and Taylor came down stairs sleepy, it was early in the morning anyway; Demi was awake early and Nick was waiting for Delta's arrival.

"She left me outside, and basically closed the door in my face, she wasn't even nice seeing I just traveled here and I must be tired since it's so early."

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Taylor frowned.

"Ugh!" Delta screamed while Demi found that funny as she laughed.

"You're Delta?" Miley finally worked it out seeing it's a stranger and Nick was standing there pale faced a little from the shock of the sudden argument.

"How do you know my name?" she frowned at her.

"Nick told me?"

Delta looked at Nick then back at Miley and repeated the action before finally smiling at Miley, "That'd be me, Delta, Nick's girlfriend."

"And I'm Miley, and this is Taylor and Demi."

"You mean the bitch?" she smirked.

"Actually, Delta, I'm standing right here." Nick said annoyed.

"Oh, I'm sorry, babe, she just got to my nerves." She pecked his lips.

"So, where is she going to sleep?" Demi asked.

"Didn't Selena return to her room yesterday? That means there's an empty room."

Selena returned back to her room, two nights after the Justin's attack. She wasn't speaking to anyone though, but last night, Liam was calmer and they had a small conservation. No body knows what they said, but they're acting better. And Justin was fine, just the marks on his face or body that's remained and was healing by the time.

"Oh, the one right next the staircase."

"Glad that you decided to help carrying my bags." Delta told Demi.

"I'm not." She shot her a 'you're crazy' look and turned around leaving.

"Don't worry, I'll help you." Nick sighed and took her bags and left to place them in her room.

"So, how long will you be staying?" Taylor started a friendly conservation.

"Is that any of your business?" she said out of no where, she was nice just seconds ago.

"What?" Miley frowned.

"Don't start acting like we're friends." She rolled her eyes acting bored, "I'm going to follow my _boyfriend_." She said heading upstairs.

"Demi was right, she's the bitch." Taylor shrugged and went to the kitchen to have something to eat, "Wanna have breakfast?" she turned asking Miley who snapped out of her thoughts as she smiled and nodded following Taylor.

Two hours later, the phone rang, and a while after, Sara announced that Mr. Erick Smith the lawyer was coming to visit them that night to check that everyone was there just like the will stated.

At exactly eight that night the man was standing in the living room waiting for them all to meet him.

"Oh, well, hey, everyone, I'm here to make sure that everything is going like Mr. Albert wanted."

"Don't worry. We're all here." Kevin said.

"I see. So, how are you coping?"

"With what exactly?" Liam asked.

"Everything, I mean, your grandfather, being here. Everything."

"I'd say fine." He responded for himself.

"It's great for me." Miley smiled at Demi. Everyday, they'd become even more friends. And it's been only two weeks.

"Great. Do you have any questions or anything?" he asked caringly, he was a kind man; no surprise that their grandfather chose him out of all the lawyers he knew.

Everyone shook their heads responding no. But Liam stood up suddenly,

"Actually, I have something to say,"

"Go on, son." Mr. Erick nodded.

"Well, my grandfather wanted his well to go to his grandchildren only, right?"

"Yes, that's true, he left nothing for your parents."

"I'm not talking about our parents now." Liam smiled as everyone got confused, "There's some people that shouldn't take anything just like our parents."

"There's no one taking anything but the nine of you," Mr. Erick stated the obvious.

"That's it. It shouldn't be _nine_." He smirked.

"Can you please explain?"

"Well, you see, Aunt Denise here was adopted by my grandfather when she was a baby, she's not blood related to us in anyway, which also means that her children aren't from our family. Not our cousins or his grandchildren whom he wanted the wealth to go to." Liam explained. "And I have the papers that prove my words."

Everyone went silent for a while surprised, it seemed like no one knew about that.

"YOU TOLD HIM?" Joe stood up screaming. They were confused for a while until they saw Taylor shaking her head terrified.

"No, no, I promise I didn't. I kept it as you wanted, Joe." She shook her head.

"Oh yeah? He's _your_ brother, you know."

"Joe, you know me, I would never do that!" she promised.

"You wanted to get revenge, right? The two of you, I saw you two talking the other day, and your brother is a lawyer too. God, it makes sense now. You two wanted to get back at me." Now the daggers were shot towards not just Taylor but Demi too.

"We didn-"

"I told you both, I never wanted to hurt you, but that's just low to go and tell something you know would affect me like that. And not just me, my brothers also."

"What the hell is going on?" Kevin yelled.

"They are the reason why he knows, they told him." Joe pointed at the two girls.

"They didn't." Selena laughed enjoying the scene.

And suddenly everyone's eyes were at her.

"What?"

"I did." She smiled.

"How in the hell do you know?" Taylor asked her before Joe starts screaming again.

"I knew that you were talking all along, Tay. You didn't do a good job from keeping this away from me. I saw most of your chats. And some of your video chats. But not all the phone calls." She smirked.

"You were never with me." Taylor shook her head doubtingly.

"You never know what I do." She smirked.

"You little bi-"

"Stop, stop." Mr. Erick yelled stopping Joe mid sentence. "I'm sorry to see such an argument, but it's no point fighting. Mr. Albert knew that this might happen since Liam here is a lawyer; so, he made sure to mention every name in his will. Besides, Denise was adopted, she might not be blood related, but she's named after Mr. Albert, so, she's your aunt weather you like it or not." He clarified everything to them.

"What do you mean?" Liam frowned.

"You heard the will right, the nine names were in it, if we didn't take the part of her being in the family anyway, the will made it clear of whom exactly he wanted the money to go to." Mr. Erick said, "I'm sorry, but your papers have no important at all." He shook his head, "Now, I gotta go, but remember, if anyone leaves, he's out of the will."

And with that, Mr. Erick left.

"You're a bitch." Joe snapped at Selena.

"Care to explain, Joe?" Kevin said angrily as Joe got nervous and looked at Nick for back up.

"He did nothing, Kev." Nick talked.

"What do you mean he did nothing? What the hell just happened?"

"It's nothing, Kevin. There was that time when he was talking with Taylor and Demi, they were friends." Nick told him shortly.

"You mean years." Selena spoke up again.

"Shut up, Selena. You've done enough." Taylor yelled at her.

"Well, you kept that from me, while I didn't keep anything from you, Taylor." Selena snapped.

"So, you go and hurt everyone in the way?" Demi responded.

"I don't care about you." Selena rolled her eyes.

"Really? I was wrong for staying with you when you were a mess." Demi said frustrated.

"I didn't ask for that."

"Well, I'm sorry for caring."

"Me too." Miley said when everyone was quiet as they looked at her to see the hurt across her face as she looked at Demi. She shook her head and turned away leaving to the garden.

"Miley! Wait." Demi yelled after her but she slammed the door making Demi stop and sigh.

"Are you happy now?" Taylor yelled at Selena and Liam.

"I'm satisfied." Selena said and turned on her heel and headed to her and Taylor's room.

"What a bitch!" Delta said frustrated as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"That's my sister you're talking about, so be good."

"I'm just stating the fact."

"Delta, stop it." Nick huffed.

"Really? I'm being a good girlfriend, Nick." She rolled her eyes.

"Just stop it for now." He said and left for his room too.

When Albert, their grandfather, made them stay in the same house, he knew there'd be problems, but he never thought that one night the nine of them will sleep being mad at each other.

_Dun dun dun! Surprise, surprise, I updated way tooooo early, but you guys also reviewed way too early, haha :D_

_So, everyone just blew at everyone. Delta came acting all bitchy. Liam is going crazy (note that he mentioned something about being nice before). The brothers are not blood related. Joe told Demi and Taylor and Miley's mad at Demi. I have a few chapters written ahead that I can't wait to share them, I know you'll like it :D:D  
Review? :)_


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

That night, everyone was mad at something. It was all related to one thing at the end, but everybody had his own reasons to be mad…

Kevin was mad at Joe for telling that. No one but their grandparents, Denise and the three of them knew about it, and their mother never wanted her siblings to know. But Joe went on and blurted it out.

Danielle Just had a fight with her husband; that wasn't something that'd slip out of his mind and don't mention to his wife. Joe was just friends with Taylor and Demi and he told them, even though they were the exact same people who aren't supposed to know. Nick told his girlfriend. That's the thing, they trusted them and told them, so why didn't Kevin?

Joe was mad at himself, Selena and Liam. They had no right to do that. And he thought back to what he did with Demi and Taylor and felt like a jerk.

As for Nick, he was angry because of Selena and Liam, and lately Delta, she was not being herself, she acts like a brat now, she was just good when he left to get here, what happened then?

Miley, she was mad at Demi, she trusted her, and she told her everything about her. Demi knew she was losing all her friends and had no one, she also knew she was considering her a best friend right now, and she asked her many times about the situation with the three brothers, yet, she said nothing, even though it was as simple as 'we were friends and he wasn't good'

Demi's anger was because of Selena mainly and herself secondly. She knew why Miley was mad at her, and she felt bad. She wanted to tell her before, but she just couldn't, she didn't have such close girl friends before.

Selena was furious at Taylor at first for she didn't tell her while Selena told her everything. But now, she was second thinking about what she did. She really caused a mess down there. She got surprised by the reactions at first, but she had coped and acted the way she did. She just wasn't the one to admit they're wrong in front of everyone like that.

Taylor couldn't believe her siblings just did that. That wasn't them. Yes, they were kinda bitchy at times, but that's really low, wanting to cut their cousins from the wealth? Why? Because of money? Screw the money that does this to people!

As for Liam, he didn't know why he agreed to say that; yes he didn't like his cousins, but that much? He was trying to be nice, but what his father taught him about his cousins took over him for a while.

Justin, he didn't speak. But he was disappointed. He remembered Selena from when they were young and she was sweet and nice, she was actually his best friend, so what happened to her? Why she changed.

And then there was Delta who was mad at Nick for treating her like this in front of everyone. Isn't it obvious that she doesn't want to lose him? She knew too. She knew he's not blood related to them; that's why she always got so jealous, that's why she _hated_ his cousins; she kinda feared that they'd do what Liam and Selena just did.

Everyone had a question that wouldn't be answered until they all face each other. But how would that happen? Nobody knew. Nobody had the intention to gather them all to talk.

When the house was full of people thinking uneasily about the night's events, a loud shrieking scream filled their ears. They were kind of getting used to the screams, but this one was one of fear… and it was from outside the house. From the garden.

Alarmed, everyone –people who care or just curious- ran to outside the house to see a white faced Demi running panicked towards the house, her breath panting and her eyes only contain horror.

"What's wrong?" Joe asked her, as she just stared at them scared.

"Is it Miley?" Nick's mind worked fast, she was the one who lastly ran out of the house, and he didn't spot her here. Delta's head snapped towards him but he ignored.

"God, speak, girl." Selena snapped.

"What happened?" Miley appeared from a distance running towards them as Demi looked at her and started crying.

"Hey, hey, what happened?" Joe wrapped his arms around her shoulder.

"I saw them." She managed to get out but not everyone was able to hear the muffled sentence.

"You saw who?" Joe rubbed her back.

"The… the attackers."

"_Attackers_?" Taylor emphasized.

Demi finally came back to reality and shrugged Joe's arm from around her shoulder and wiped her tears sniffling. "Let's talk inside." She said and entered the house as everyone followed wanting to know the new events.

"What attackers?" Delta whispered to Nick who wasn't in the mood to explain the two attacks right there.

"Long story, I'll tell you later." He said and followed the crowd inside.

"What happened, Dems?" Miley sat next her and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Despite her being mad at Demi, but the girl was screwed right there, and she has got to stay next her.

"I was looking for you," she looked at Miley throw her blurred vision, "and I was looking for a while when I just stopped to think where else to look at, and then I heard a muffled crack behind me, I quickly turned and saw a tall black dressed something, with no face but there was bloody red eyes, with a knife in hand a thick stick in the other… and I guess there was a robe on the shoulder."

"Something?" Selena repeated her words frowning.

"God, right there it looked like a ghost." Demi shook her head.

"But you said _attackers_." Kevin said.

"I'm not sure, but I think I saw another shadow behind that one."

"And then what happened?"

"When I screamed it quickly disappeared, like it was never there and it took me a while to maintain my energy and come here." She finished her story.

"What the hell! Who are those and what does they want?" Joe said frustrated and confused… just like everyone else.

"It may be a ghost?" Selena whispered, "I mean, I didn't see it, Justin didn't see it, and she just said it disappeared quickly, and besides why would someone do this to us."

"Shut up, Selena, there's no such a thing." Liam told her.

"Of course there's, Liam." Justin told him rolling his eyes.

"It may be one of your grandfather's enemies? Someone who wanted his money?" Danielle suggested.

"They wouldn't get a benefit of attacking us; if we don't get the money it goes to charity, remember?" Kevin reminded with attitude as Danielle sighed rolling her eyes.

"God, it's grandpa's ghost." Selena said with horror. "It appeared after his death."

"Grandpa doesn't look so… scary, out of life." Demi shook her head.

"It's a ghost, it _is_ out of life." Selena said.

"Why would grandpa do this to us? He loved us." Miley said.

"Maybe he wants to tell us something, maybe he changed is mind and don't want us to have the money, or maybe he's mad at us." Taylor supported Selena's idea.

"Stop. You're talking nonsense." Nick shook his head.

"Yeah, grandpa wouldn't do that." Liam said. It was weird coming out from Liam, since he was somehow against the old man's decisions.

"Guys, it's obvious." Delta spoke up.

"What?" Joe asked when she paused waiting for that question making suspense around her.

"Didn't the well say that if someone leaves before the time he won't take anything?"

"Yes?"

"So, the money will be divided among a smaller number, so it'll be more. Then, it's definitely one of you wanting more money." Delta shrugged.

"Are you crazy?" Nick shook his head.

"She makes sense." Liam said.

"Of course _you_ would say that." Taylor rolled her eyes at her brother. "Sorry to disappoint you but none of us is the criminal kind."

"How do you know that? You've been away from each others for years and you just started talking to each other days ago." Delta answered.

"Yes, but seriously, who'd do that?" Selena asked as her question made everyone look at each other.

"Actually, I'd say her." Delta said pointing her tall fore finger directly towards Miley whose eyes widened.

"Me?" Miley asked with a disbelieving chuckle.

"Don't act so innocent, from what I understood, Selena and Justin got attacked, and Demi was about to get attacked too just now, and you were the only one out and the one who arrived late –you must have been hiding your costume- and not to mention, you were mad at Demi." By the time Delta finished, Miley's mouth was wide agape; she was right, everything pointed out against her.

Everyone was processing it, and soon the stares at Miley started and she just looked at them all in a faze, "I didn't do it, I'd never hurt anyone like this." She started defending herself.

"This is ridiculous; Miley wouldn't do that, okay?" Demi said.

"It actually makes sense." Kevin whispered as everyone looked at him, and Miley had panic shown all over her features. "But we can't confirm anything now."

"It's definitely her." Liam said being his normal doubtful self. He looked at Miley and nodded, "I remember her having a fight with her dad over staying here." He reminded.

"Guys, I swear I-"

"I remember it too." Justin narrowed his eyes.

"See, that's what money does." Delta formed her lips in a thin line and shook her head.

"Shut the hell up, Delta." Taylor said.

"Do you have another explanation?" Delta challenged.

"No, but-"

"Then I'm right."

"You're a bitch." Taylor said as Delta looked at her with wide eyes.

"Nick!" she looked at her boyfriend looking for some defense.

"This is getting stupid." He frowned and stood up.

"Where are you going?" she yelled at him but he didn't reply, "Nick?" but he was already walking up the stairs, Delta huffed and shot Taylor a disgusted look.

"This is too much, and I think we're all tired that we can't think right." Joe shook his head, "We can discuss this later."

"You're right." Danielle said, "Let's go to sleep now." she sighed standing up and headed upstairs and slowly everybody did the same not finding another thing to say.

"Miley, it's gonna be okay." Demi whispered to her cousin while they were entering their room.

"You don't believe her?"

"Of course not." She shook her head. "You're not like that."

"Thank you, you must be the only one."

"Didn't you see Taylor? Or when Nick just left her talking and left? And when Joe said we must talk later? I guess they believe you too." Demi said.

"Nick and Joe didn't say anything. Neither positive nor negative."

"Well, you still have me and Taylor."

"Are _you_ okay?" Miley asked her after a while.

"Yes, I was just terrified of what I saw; they were holding a knife, Miley." She remembered.

"It's scary." Miley said, "Why would they want to do that?" Demi shrugged shaking her head.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"Maybe?" she bit her lip, "I mean none of us would do it, right?"

"Yeah, I think so." Demi sighed remembering they have to talk, "Miley, I'm really sorry."

Miley sighed, "I just don't know why you didn't tell me something as simple as talking to Joe?"

"It's not just that." Demi closed her eyes taking a breath, "And I didn't tell anyone, not just you, I mean, it's a bad habit I'm trying to change, I'm a close up person, I don't share a lot, I like people telling me, and I don't mind knowing their problems and be there for them, but with me, I think it doesn't matter."

"What? Of course it matters, you'll feel a lot better when you share."

"I know, I know," Demi nodded, "Well, I guess I'm going to tell you what happened,"

"You don't have to if you don't want to." Miley shrugged.

"No, I'll tell you." Demi bit her lip and sighed.

_Have you ever had someone accusing you terribly like Delta accused Miley?  
_

_So, tell me what you think... :)_


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"When I was 15 I found a new friend request on my facebook account, I found it was Joe, I got confused at first but I accepted it… and then he started talking with me, he told me that he wanted to make sure I'm okay and all, and that he found me by chance." Demi started her story.

"Yeah, he talked to me too when I was about 16 or 17, but it didn't last that much, sometimes we were both on and we didn't talk." Miley told her and nodded for her to continue.

"Yeah, not just you, he talked to Taylor too, at the same time he talked to me, and he told her the same, that he wanted to see if she's okay and that he found her by chance." Demi sighed. "Well, at first it wasn't that big of a deal with me, but as time passed I got used to talking with him that he became my best friend and I told him my problems and he helped me through them all.

We then started talking over the phone not just video chat, I found myself waiting for his call everyday. And after that the meetings, I mean we saw each other a lot, by that time he had already told me that he's not blood related with us, and you know, I couldn't help but feel happy that I'm allowed to fall for him; because I _was_ falling for him. And one day, when I was 18 we were having our normal Friday dinner when he told me he liked me. I was on cloud nine. I admitted my feelings too and soon we were official. But it only lasted ten months." She looked at Miley with a sad smile.

"Why? What did he do?"

"He was playing all along."

"He didn't like you?"

"Neither me nor her." Demi shook her head, "He did the exact same with Taylor."

"What?" Miley's eyes widened. "He was dating the two of you?"

"Yes," Demi nodded, "Once, we were watching a movie in his apartment and he went to the bathroom and I opened his laptop and it logged on to his mail automatically and her face soon popped in my face saying "Hey babe." But she saw me and asked about who I'm. I told her I'm his girlfriend. He came out and his face soon got pale recognizing her voice and hearing her words."

"Whoa. What a jerk!"

"Me and Taylor talked later and found that he has been dating me for ten months and her for eight."

"Well, didn't he try to contact you after?"

"He did. A lot. But I only answered him once and told him to get away from me, and it was the last time we talked." She finished as silence filled the room for a while until Miley smirked breaking it,

"Until today."

"What?"

"Come on, you know what I'm talking about, you were there crying and he was holding you like Romeo and Juliet." She said dramatically and started mimicking them as Demi laughed and hit her with a pillow.

"Stop." She giggled.

"Oh, Demetria, I miss you my love. Oh, Joseph, sweet, sweet Joseph." Miley laughed along with Demi.

"Shut up." Demi laughed out loud.

"Seriously, Dem, did you hear him out?"

"Hear what? He was playing with us, Mi. He cheated on me with her and cheated on her with me." She shook her head chocking back her tears not wanting to cry.

"I know it looks too bad. I'm telling you he's definitely a jerk, but why did he try to call you after it? Doesn't that prove that he at least feel bad?"

"He should feel bad. Let him suffer like he made me suffer. Like he made her suffer."

"Did you love him?"

Demi looked up at Miley with wide eyes; she didn't expect that question. She feared that question because she feared thinking about it answer.

"I, um, I don't kn-"

"The truth, Demi." Miley demanded.

Her brunette cousin looked down thinking about it as she closed her eyes, "Yes, I guess so." She looked up at her again.

Miley looked at her sadly wondering if she should ask the harder question, she didn't think she'll tell the truth, but she asked anyway, "But, the more important question is: _Do_ you love him?"

"I, um, well, honestly, I think I do." She looked down, "Miley, I didn't have true friends, back then when he started talking to me, he was my only true friend. Sure that made him special, and after that when I had real friends, I was always boasting about him and how much I adore him. He was my first friend, first boyfriend, first kiss and first love. And after what happened, I never had another boyfriend. My friends tried to hold some blind dates for me, but none of them worked, they were perfect, but they weren't Joe." By the time she finished, tears were already pouring down her face.

Demi shook her head; she knew that no matter what she said, she'd never be able to explain what happened to her back then. She can never explain the storm she was living in, her clouded mind, her rainy eyes, her foggy vision and the thunder that pounded in her head leaving the headache.

Miley looked at Demi through her tears also as she got up and wrapped her arms around Demi's shoulder as the cousin leaned her head on Miley's shoulder.

"It's been two years, Miley. But I don't seem to get over him."

"You know what, Dem, Joe will get what he deserves. We've been here for a while and it's getting kinda boring, so, let's have some fun, and Taylor can join us." Miley smiled through her tears as Demi looked at her observing.

"Are you kidding?"

"Of course not. He must not get away with this so easily. He already caused a lot of damage to you, who know what happened to Taylor too."

Demi smiled at her and nodded, "Will we make him suffer?"

"Oh yeah." Miley smiled evilly and held her hand up for her to high five as Demi wiped her tears and gave her a high five.

XxXx

Joe's eyes flew open hearing the knock on the door. He looked at his side seeing his heavy sleeper of a brother deep in sleep without any disturbers. Joe stood up and rubbed his eyes as the door knocked again and he went over to it opening it to see Sara smiling at him.

"Good morning Mr. Anderson."

"Yeah, good morning." He yawned.

"I'm here to inform you that Mrs. Anderson is downstairs."

"Mom?" he asked confused.

"Yes, she's here."

"Um, alright, thank you, Sara." He said as she smiled nodding and left him as he went inside his room and woke Nick up.

"What do you want?" Nick mumbled.

"Mom is here."

"What?" his head shot up horrified.

"Yup."

"Oh, shit. Does Delta know?"

"I don't know."

"Ugh." Nick hid his face in his hand.

"Good luck, man." Joe said and went to the bathroom.

Nick groaned frustrated, as if he needs more stress! His mother and his girlfriend never got along, and whenever they're at the same place, they start annoying each other.

A while after when he was ready to face it, Nick went downstairs and saw his mother sitting with all the girls in the house, including Delta.

"Hey, mom." He smiled as he went over to over to her hugging her.

"Oh, hey, sweetie. What a pleasant surprise I've found when I arrived here." She said pointing at Delta as Nick groaned, Delta rolled her eyes and the girls laughed obviously already figured the exchange of hatred and enjoying the scene.

"Yeah, Delta is staying with us for a while."

"What's wrong? You look tired."

"Yeah, slept late after last night's events." He yawned.

"What happened last night?" she frowned.

"You don't know? Why are you here then?"

"I'm just visiting. You got me worried, what happened?" she looked around for an explanation.

"Nothing, your secret is out and your niece here is a criminal." Delta said pointing at Miley who gave her a disgusted look.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Do you have something to defend yourself with? To prove it wasn't you?"

"No, but I-"

"Then shut the fuck up."

"Who do you think you're? This house is ours and we can throw you out anytime, you don't go around ordering us." Selena yelled at her surprising everyone.

"Stop everyone." Denise ordered, "What the hell happened?"

"I'll tell you, mom." Kevin said entering the room as everyone sat down again and Kevin started telling her everything from Erick's visit to Demi's incident.

"Oh my God." Denise had this horrified face as she looked at them all.

"Alright, I want to say I'm sorry for what I did, but I was mad at Taylor and you Joe." Selena stated and it was obvious that she was holding a huge weight over her shoulders while saying those words; everybody knew that she was pressured to apologize, probably by her sister.

"I-Is everyone okay?" Denise managed to ask.

"We're fine. But who knows for how long." Delta said looking directly towards Miley.

"Delta, that's enough. Shut up." Denise yelled at her as the girl's head snapped towards her with a glare then looked at her boyfriend who shrugged.

"I'm going to my room." She said aggressively and stormed out of the room.

"That's…" Denise stopped trying to find a suitable word.

"Horrifying?" Demi suggested

"Strangely horrifying."

"We have no idea who would do that, mom." Nick said shaking his head.

"I don't know, honey." She shook her head too, "But I know that what Delta's saying is bullshit." She said referring to Miley.

"I know," Nick mumbled.

"You really don't think it's me?" Miley asked her aunt who shook her head smiling.

"No, none of you. You wouldn't do that."

"Why didn't you want us to know you were… you know, adopted?" Selena asked her as Denise looked at her with a straight face and sighed.

"Because of your parents. I didn't mind them knowing when we were one big family, but now, they'd just bug the hell out of me. Especially, Robin and Richard."

"So, why didn't you tell them then?" Taylor frowned.

"Mom. Mom didn't want me to tell them, she wanted us to be the brothers and sisters we're, she didn't want them to look at me differently. Little did she know they would, anyway." Denise looked away and gave a sad smile.

"I don't get how such a close family can be so separated."

"You know, it was possible that we'd come close as before, but that was fifteen years ago. Now that time has passed, it's kinda impossible."

"Don't tell me you moved on, you loved each other."

"I can't tell you about that!" she shook her head, "Anyway, let's change the subject, What do you want to eat on dinner?"

Denise chatted with her sons, her nieces, and her nephews almost the whole afternoon. They figured that she's actually a cool woman to be with, she was kind with them and funny, and the most thing that amused the girls was that she annoyed the hell out of Delta.

_Even though I didn't get that much of reviews last chapter… but I decided to update this one anyway!_

_So, what do you all think about Joe now?_

_And… did you see the cover I just added for the story? :DD I spent soooo long on it because it's like my second time I try to edit photos like this.. but it's worth it really :DD what do you think about it?_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

A few days later, Joe was sitting on the front porch of the house deep in his thoughts when he suddenly came back to reality feeling someone sit next him as he turned his head to see it was Selena…

"It's cold out here." She told him staring straight ahead.

"I guess so." He shrugged.

"Listen Joe, I'm sorry." He looked at her again to see her looking at him now with a sorry look that he never imagined would be planted on Selena's face.

"Sorry for what?"

She closed her eyes knowing he wants to hear a full apology which she would never give unless she was really sorry, "For telling everyone about you, Taylor and Demi and trying to cut you and your brothers out of the well." She said after reopening her eyes as she saw the cold icy look in his eyes.

"Yeah, that was unreasonable, you know." He said coldly as she sighed.

"I know, Joe. But, I was really mad at Taylor and you that I didn't even think of the consequences or hurting Demi in the process." She admitted.

"Mad at Taylor and me?" he raised an eyebrow, "And why is that?"

"Well, Taylor because she hid something so big from me for so long and I tell her everything, and you, because of what you did, to the both of them." She said with some attitude.

Joe looked at her surprised but when he met her accusing stare he looked down guiltily, "God, I didn't mean to." He threw his head up looking at the sky as he let out those words.

"But you still did." She pointed out.

"I know, and I tried to fix it."

"Apologizing to them won't fix it and you know it."

"They don't even want to hear me, Selena. I'm now the devil who did unforgivable mistakes in the family."

"I guess we're on the same boat." She looked at him as he did the same and nodded.

"I guess so." He looked ahead of him again, "I don't think I'm able to forgive you now." He looked at her for a second before returning to his position, "It'll take a while to get over, that was huge, you know."

Selena looked at him surprised, "I expected that."

"Why?"

"Because I don't think I can forgive you for what you did either."

He nodded, "I guess that's because we're not that close."

"I guess so."

"Why did you apologize anyway? You're not the type of person to do a mistake and apologize afterwards."

"I didn't use to be like that." She shook her head, "That's how drugs affected my personality."

"Want to talk about it?"

"I want to. But not with you." He looked at her, "You just said we're not close. It'd be weird."

"You have a point. So why don't you talk with Taylor?"

"She thinks she knows about it. She's been with me from the very first begging and tried to make me stop; she didn't make a success though, so she now thinks she knows all about it and if I talk to her, she'll just nod understandingly but she won't really get it. You know what I mean?"

"I guess I do." He nodded, "So you need someone new to talk to about it."

"Exactly."

"Why don't you try Demi? Or Miley?" he suggested and she frowned, "I mean, I haven't tried Miley, but Demi is good to talk to, and since they're close now, I guess Miley is too." He shrugged.

"I don't know. Will they even want to talk to me?" she chuckled rolling her eyes.

"Just try." He shrugged again.

"You're right." She said after a while of thinking about it, "They wanted to talk to me anyway when it came out." She stood up.

"Where are you going?" he smiled already knowing the answer.

"Try talking." She said and hurried inside as Joe chuckled at her and looked straight ahead again a little overwhelmed by what just happened. Selena –the bitch of the house- just cam and apologized and actually is willing to talk to her cousins.

Selena on the other hand felt a little different for the first time since she entered the house. After talking with Taylor about what she did with the help of her brother, she realized what she's slowly turning to be. Taylor made her go back to her senses and gave her some hints on how to regain herself which Selena has picked on and decided to give her family a chance.

She softly knocked on the girls' door as Miley opened the door and stared at her surprised.

"Hi, can I enter?"

"Oh, yeah sure." Miley let her in and closed the door after her.

Selena sat on Miley's bed and waited for Miley to do the same which she did, "I, um, want to talk to you."

"Us?" Demi asked raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah," Selena gave a chuckle.

"About what?"

"First of all, Demi, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I'll hurt you in the way as I get revenge of Taylor and Joe."

"It's okay. Noting happened." Demi nodded giving her a small smile.

"Did you say revenge?" Miley asked as Selena nodded and explained like what she just did with Joe.

"... And I want to talk to you about the drugs thing, if that's okay." She looked down.

"Um, yeah, sure." Demi encouraged, or tried to since she was surprised.

"Well, I don't know how to start." She gave a nervous chuckle looking up.

"Okay," Miley emphasized, "What about the very first begging? When you started and why, you know." She told her. She knew that Selena wanted to share this but she also wasn't that comfortable since they've not talked before, so, she tried to make her more comfortable.

"Alright, I started three years ago, I was nineteen and I got involved with the wrong people." Selena started, "I was going through hard time; first I've got my boyfriend of the four high school years cheating on me with one of my so called friends, and I had a huge fight with him that ended up in him slapping me and knocking me down on the ground unconscious."

"What a jerk!" Demi exclaimed.

"I know." Selena nodded and continued as her eyes slowly started to fill up with tears, "And then there was the fact that I messed up in college and almost failed, which was about to mess up my whole future as mom was considering letting me drop out of college, but we convinced her to give me another chance."

"We?" Miley asked.

"Yeah, me, Taylor and Liam, we were so close. Another one of my problems, we slowly started to be apart. Liam got his own life and Taylor was busy most of her time with projects that helped her studying or her friends. So, I started knowing other people and left my old friends whom the cheaters were a part of."

"And they let you try it." Miley whispered.

Selena nodded, "And I became addicted."

"Have you ever tried to stop?" Demi asked her.

"No, why would I? The problems didn't stop." She shrugged.

"But, it could make your life a living hell."

"It's currently making me happy and coping with everything."

"It's slowly killing you. Now, I know why you're so skinny." Demi said a little bitter. That was Demi for you, she has harsh words and attitude sometimes, but she only uses them when she cares about the person she's talking to.

"Listen, Selena, you wanted to talk to us. And we should give you the advice now." Miley started, "You know the drugs isn't the solution, I'll tell you when we're done with this subject about my miserable life and you'll know I totally get what you mean, so does Demi. But we both didn't run away from the problems by doing drugs."

"You know talking to people is one of the steps. Getting it all out helps you feel better. Maybe back then you didn't have someone to really talk to, but now you do." Demi told her.

Selena stayed quiet for a while as they both stared at her waiting for her to say something as she sighed and looked up at them, "What about we discuss that later? I'm going to think about that."

"If you want to." Demi said not wanting to push it like that since it's the first time she opens up and actually talk to them.

"Hey, Selena, why did you come to us?" Miley frowned confused as Selena chuckled at the answer.

"Joe's advice."

"What?" Demi's eyes widened.

"I know, he's not your favorite person right now. Nor mine, but I was apologizing and it came to this." Selena shrugged.

"You don't like him too?" Demi bit her lip smirking.

"Yeah…"

"Then maybe you'd like to join in the little 'get back at your enemies aka Joe' plan." Demi said smiling as she said the name she gave the plan.

"Really?" Selena raised an eyebrow chuckling, "I love revenging if you haven't already noticed." She smiled evilly, "I'm in."

XxXx

Nick was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a glass of juice. He wasn't really enjoying it, since his head was occupied with some Delta thoughts,

He remembered how they made out in her room earlier, it was like any other time, yet, he didn't feel the electricity. Usually, he feels his love for her and she manages to show her love for him, but this time it was just lust.

Then, there's the reason she decided to make out with him: they were fighting over her attitude with everyone else, Nick was yelling at her and she was stubbornly defending herself and making them look like the bad people. And suddenly, to shut him up, she started kissing him, which he dumbly responded to in her favor.

He was mad.

He was mad at Delta for what she's becoming, and he was mad at himself for not stopping her.

He had a tight grip over the glass –as he was so lost in his thoughts- that Miley, who just entered the kitchen, was afraid that it'd explode in his hands into tiny pieces.

"Um, Nick?" his head snapped towards her as he came back to reality.

"Yeah…?"

"You're torturing that glass." He looked at her confused for a second before realizing what she meant as he chuckled and put it down.

"So, what's up with you?" she asked taking a seat after getting something to eat.

"Nothing just thinking." He shrugged and she took the hint of him not wanting to talk about it.

"Okay, so where is the bitch?" she asked as he looked at her, "No offence to you, but she's a one."

"Oh, Delta?" he rolled his eyes, "Sleeping I guess."

"Is everything okay with you two?"

"No," he sighed, "It's more complicated than before."

"Do you love her, Nick?" she bit her lip.

"I- I'm not sure about that. Not anymore." He admitted.

"Listen," she put her hand on his as he looked at it and then back at her eyes to hear what she have to say "if you want my opinion, then I think you two should talk truthfully, and then you'll figure the problem and fix it." She spoke but he heard nothing. Or just heard some words but they didn't make sense in his mind which was occupied with examining the blue color of her eyes.

"You know what, forget about Delta right now." He told her not wanting to think about it anymore.

"What's with you people and refusing hearing the right opinions?" she groaned whispering referring to Selena.

Her phone buzzed again indicating that she's a new text message but she didn't even bother checking it knowing it's the creepy ex of her.

"You get a lot of texts." He pointed out.

"Yeah, I have a stalker." She said and laughed making it sound like a joke more than a fact.

"You know, you have pretty eyes." He said out of the blue after they were silent for a while. His eyes widened a little at what he said for a moment then he acted normal deciding to play it cool.

She looked at him and blushed under his sharp gaze at her and noticed the color of his eyes also, "Thank you, you do too." Now she was the one examining his eyes.

She felt him coming closer and closer to her, what is he doing? Is he going to kiss her? No way. But looking in his eyes, they were definitely close, and she definitely liked it.

"Um," he cleaned his throat, "I think Delta is calling for me." He said as he scratched the back of his head leaning back.

"Yeah, I think she's." she agreed as he nodded and stood up glancing at her and left the kitchen.

She sighed, God, was he going to kiss her?

_I'm starting school next week so, I decided to give you as much chapters as I can because when hell starts you don't know when you're going to control it again :D so, what do you think of the chapter?_


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"What?" Demi exclaimed.

"Yeah, right?"

"He freaking has a girlfriend." Selena added.

"But, I have to tell you, none of us like her, at all, you guys saw it yourself." Daniel explained.

"Yeah, she's a bitch." Demi rolled her eyes.

"Back to the main subject guys." Miley told them. As hard as it is to imagine but all grand-daughters of Albert along with Danielle were sitting together in what Selena actually called girls' night, she and Taylor planned it and there they all were in their room discussing what Miley just told them about Nick's almost kiss.

"He's just like his brother." Taylor said bitterly. "I mean Joe though." She added remembering Danielle was there.

"Yeah, you're right. Don't forget that Nick was the only one who knew about it." Demi agreed.

"But, guys, he didn't kiss me, I told you he almost did."

"Still." Demi exclaimed, "The only thing that stopped him was that his girlfriend was calling him."

"But-"

"What are you girls doing?" Denise entered the room smiling.

"Having a girls' night." Danielle exclaimed.

"Wow." Denise said surprised, "So, you're getting along? Finally?"

"Not really." Taylor shook her head. It was true. That night was more like a try to get along, not actually getting along, and it's somehow working.

"Um, alright, Dani, honey, I need your help with some papers, it won't take so much. You'll be able to continue your girls' night."

"Alright, I'll be back girls." She smiled sweetly at them and disappeared closing the door behind her.

"Alright, I didn't want to talk about it in front of her you know, but anyway, we all agree that the brothers are evil right?" Selena asked as Taylor and Demi nodded while Miley looked around the room, "Miley?"

"Um, I agree that _Joe_ is evil, but…"

"Oh, God, don't tell me he got you under his charm with 'almost a kiss'." Demi rolled her eyes.

"No, it's not like that, but I haven't seen something from him, and Kevin? Well, he's not really good too."

"So, why would Nick be?"

"Why won't he be?"

"Listen, when I met Joe, he was perfect; nothing he did that I disagreed with, he was kind, sweet and funny. But look what he did." Taylor told her as Demi nodded agreeing, "And just like Demi pointed out before, Nick was the one who knew about it."

"Anyway, your point is…?" Miley asked Selena.

"I think you should get along." She smiled a devilish smile once she remembered what she was originally talking about.

"What?"

"Play along, Miley." She rolled her eyes.

"Like seduce him?"

"Exactly."

"And…?"

"What? You'll have some fun and you'll be closer to Joe that we'd revenge."

"How's me seducing Nick will get back at Joe?" she asked confused.

"It may help."

"Selena, you're not making sense." Miley chuckled.

"No, she's." Demi smiled thinking about it.

"What?"

"Come on, it's not like he'll fall for you. He's also playing."

"Guys, this was the first thing that happened between us, and it didn't actually happen anyway."

"Bet he'll make another move?" Selena smirked.

"He won't." Miley shook her head.

"Great, let's make a bet out of it." Demi said.

"Deal." Miley nodded. "What's the bet about?"

"Let's mix it with a dare, if he makes another move –as we're saying- you play along." Selena said as Miley thought about it for a while,

"Twenty bucks?" She suggested.

"For the three of us. Each. Fine girls?" Selena said as Demi nodded and Taylor bit her lip.

"I don't know about her getting along part." She said.

"What?" Selena frowned.

"He has a girlfriend."

"If he tried to kiss her then he doesn't care, we agreed he's playing, Tay."

"Still, what of she likes him? She'll be hurt in the process."

"That bitch only cares about money or fame." Demi rolled her eyes, "You know that the family's name is big."

"Alright, alright, then Taylor and me and you and Demi, okay?" Miley said stopping the fight.

"So, you'll do it?" Selena asked.

"Yes. Only because I know he won't do anything."

"We'll see, I say we give it three days?"

"Deal then."

XxXx

"It was weird." Miley commented as she and Demi were lying on their beds ready to sleep.

"What was?"

"That we actually talked with them."

"Yeah, I really was surprised that you even told about the thing with Nick dude in front of them."

"It's not like I did something wrong, or it's my deepest secret." Miley shrugged, "I mean, I thought I'd go with some suspense, what else we would have talked about anyway?" she chuckled.

"You're right, and we got something exciting going from it, so I'm glad you did." Demi shrugged making Miley let out a laugh.

"Go to sleep, Demi."

"Alright have a good night with Nick-y dreams."

"You wish." She gave a laugh and turned to her side.

Honestly, why were they making a big deal out of it? It was really nothing and when she told them she never expected that reaction.

XxXx

Miley was sitting in the garden alone in the dim light just taking in the beauty of the place, it was a while after dawn and the sun wasn't that strong still and the air had that chilly soft wind that made everything feel peaceful.

She felt someone's presence followed by the crack of a branch, she turned around horrified remembering the things that happened to her cousins but she only saw Denise.

"Mind if I joined you?" she asked her as Miley shook her head.

The older woman moved closer and sat down on the grass next her niece. "You know Miley, I've been thinking about what you told me earlier at the kitchen and for the first time I actually felt guilty about it." She let out.

"But feeling guilty won't change anything." Miley responded, "Actually nothing will. You didn't see how Justin, Liam and Kevin have been looking at me recently since Delta's words; they actually believe it was me."

"Trust me, I know how it feels to see your cousins –basically your brothers- look at you like this." Denise said.

"What made you fall apart?"

"I honestly don't know." She gave a sad smile, "One second we were so close feeling each other's pain and the next we hate each other's guts." She told her, "You don't remember it, do you?"

"Not really, I remember the exchange of harsh words, but not the whole scene."

"You were six." She smiled at the memory of the kids, "You were my favorite niece."

"Really? Why me?"

"Because I was your favorite aunt." Denise smiled, "You always wanted to play with me, and I loved spending time with you. I basically brought you up when your mother passed away, that was until your father got re-married."

"So, you are the one who took care of me as a baby?"

"Yes, your aunt Lilly helped too, since Demi is your age." She paused for a while, "I was so against your father when he decided to marry again, you know I was afraid of the whole step mother thing and how she's gonna treat you."

"She's the one who's keeping me alive." Miley shook her head.

"I know."

"Why are you talking to me?" Miley asked after a while. Judging by her tone, Denise knew that the question has been bugging her for a while.

"Because I missed you, I was so curious to know what you grew to be."

"But you won't be able to catch up with the 15 years you missed."

"I know, but I think we should forget the past and think about the future."

"Sometimes the past is what builds up the future." She gave her a smile that made Denise understand her point quickly.

It was like a building being built in her eyes, the base was when they started growing apart which means they started it wrongly, and by the time they reach the roof they find the mistake, but by then, it's too late and the building is gonna fall all on them.

And the builders are the five siblings, while the poor inhabitants of the building are their children.

XxXx

"Miles?" She heard her name being called as she was in another far corner of the garden, the corner which her grandparents were lying peacefully, it was now noon and she spent about an hour there sharing some thoughts with them, just staring at the white graves or just looking around and playing with the small animals.

"Oh, hey, Nick." She smiled but then she got a little nervous remembering the dare they made two days ago. It was the third day and she didn't want to lose in the last moment.

"So, um, what's up?"

"Nothing much." She shrugged. "Things with Delta any better?"

"I don't even know. Hey, why are you always asking about Delta?"

"I don't know, it's what I'm supposed to do when you have a problem, try to find a solution with you." She shrugged with a smile.

"But I don't want a solution." He smiled at her.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we'll just see what happens." He said carelessly. "You know what?" he asked after a pause through which he was gazing at her.

"What?" she looked at him.

"You have beautiful eyes."

She laughed, "I guess you already mentioned that."

"Yeah, I'm trying to repeat the scene here." He smiled; "You then told me I do too and I…" he didn't finish the sentence as he did the action and started leaning in again.

_Oh, God. No, no, no, What's the hell am I supposed to do? What the hell am-_

She kissed back.

She didn't even think about the dare, she just did.

He pulled her closer deepening the kiss as she willingly deepened it more. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he clutched her shirt in his grip, "Let's go somewhere else." He whispered as she moaned which he took as a yes.

He pulled back with a smile and got up taking her with him as he ran towards the house holding her hand.

"Where are we going?" she whispered asking as he took her towards the back door of the house.

"Upstairs."

"We have shared rooms."

"No, the third level." He smirked.

As soon as they reached an old room there he locked the door behind them and pushed her to the wall and quickly kissed her again. He definitely found the electricity that he lost with Delta.

As much as her mind screamed with a big no, she couldn't stop. She couldn't pull away from him; instead, she was pulling him closer. She nearly gasped when she felt his hand on her skin under her shirt right at the stomach.

_God, where is this heading?_

XxXx

Demi heard a knock on her door making her wake up from her nap, "Come in." she murmured.

"Miss?" She heard what seemed like Sara's voice saying.

"What?"

"Isn't Ms. Miley here?"

"Do you see her here?" Demi asked annoyed.

"No, I mean, don't you know where she is?"

"No," she said and waited to hear the door close indicating Sara's exit but it didn't, she opened her eyes and saw her still there staring at her, "What?"

"There's someone at the gates asking for her."

"Who's that?" She frowned.

"I don't know."

Demi sighed, "I'm coming with you. She's probably still in the garden."

She went downstairs and to the garden calling Miley's name but no response came; she searched for a while before giving up and deciding to go see who that person is asking for her. She heard some noises coming from the direction of the front gates. As she got closer, she saw a guy walking towards her, an angry look across his face.

"I'm not a thief or a guest to make them leave me outside like that." He exclaimed.

"Excuse me? Who are you?"

"I want Miley."

"Sorry, Ms., but he pushed us and entered." One of the security guards came and she nodded motioning for him it was okay as he left and closed the gate again.

"And who are you?" she repeated.

He rolled his eyes annoyed, "I'm Jake, her fiancé."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Miley was staring at the ceiling as she played with her hair wrapping it around her finger thinking deeply about what just happened, between her and her… well, what should she call him? Cousin in law? Whatever they are, she was thinking about the hot make out session she just had with _Nick_.

It was wrong, and she knew it! But, it was the feeling she had that made her continue. She was still hurt by Jake and she was in need for someone to make her feel better. And, it's not like Nick is going to ask her out or something, it's probably a one time thing.

From her analyzing to the situation, he probably is hurt also by Delta and is trying to replace her… so, they both are just healing their pains and filling their needs. No emotions. Right?

"Miley?" he spoke from beside her on the old bed that was covered with a thin layer of dust. She looked at him waiting, "Are you okay?"

She sighed and turned on her side to face him, "Nick, you have a girlfriend." She told him one of her thoughts.

"I know." He avoided her eyes which burned through his skin by their gaze.

"And…?"

"It's not like we're perfect, Miley." He said, "Besides, why do you care about her? She's the one who accused you of being the attacker. She hurt you." He frowned.

She thought about it quickly, she had a dare with her cousins, and judging by his way of talking, he's really just playing around with her, and he actually is good, darn it he can kiss. So, why not get along? No harm will be done.

"You're right." She smiled and moved closer giving him a peck on his lips; he smiled and pulled her closer. That was when her phone vibrated in her pocket making her jump. She got it out and saw a text from Demi,

'Where the hell are you? Come down NOW, there's a disaster' She read.

"Oh, God, what happened again?" she asked herself as she showed the message to Nick.

"Let's go find out." He said with a worried expression.

They took their way down the stairs to find Demi waiting right at the end of the staircase, she eyed them suspiciously but before she could throw questions Miley asked curiously, "What happened?"

Demi sighed and pointed at the couch where a head turned around at the sound of her voice as Jake got up smiling at her.

"Miley, baby." He opened his arms walking towards her.

Miley's eyes widened as she looked at him speechless.

"Who are you?" Nick asked him seeing Miley wasn't going to make a reaction soon.

"I'm Jake, her fiancé." He rolled his eyes, "Do I have to hold a sign?"

"Her fiancé?" Nick looked at Miley silently asking for confirmation.

"No, no, he's not." She finally seemed to find her voice, "What are you doing here, Jake?" she glared at him.

"You wouldn't pick up." He shrugged, "Or reply to my texts." He looked at her with a smile and moved his palm to touch her cheek. She just looked at him with surprise and shock; she couldn't believe he'd do that. How in the hell does he expect her to forgive him? After all what he did, the least of his mistakes was cheating!

"How did you know the address here?" Demi asked him with a disgusted look.

"Are you really asking that, Dem?" Miley finally came back to reality and shrugged his hand away, "My lovely father gave it to him."

"Your father knows how sorry I am and how much I love you and just wants to help, Mi."

She pursed her lip in a thin line then moved closer to him pulling the hem of his shirt glaring again, "Don't ever call me that again. Understand?" she told him quietly.

"Come on, Miley, you know I didn't mean to hurt you."

She let go of him and sighed trying not to calm herself down and not start yelling and screaming in his face, "Fine, you didn't mean to hurt me… and I don't want to be with you. What are you doing about this?"

"I'll make sure that you realize you miss me."

"Get out, Jake." She said annoyed, "Get out and that's it. Don't ever try to call me again."

And with saying that, she turned around and left him down there as she went back to her room. As soon as the door closed shut making a loud bang after her, she pressed her back at it and felt the tears staring to form in her eyes.

Jake was her everything when she had no one. He appeared in her life in a time where she needed to be loved. It was something similar to the situation of Demi and Joe. But for Miley, Jake appeared when she grew up and missed the love of her father.

He let her believe him and more importantly, he let her fall in love with him as he stood their laughing in her face.

It was too late when she realized he was just there because of money and having fun. He wasn't in need of money, but he was like why not have more?

He was cheating on her almost all the time, and she was stupid enough to not realize it. She even almost lost a friend of her because of it, one of her best friends told her about him cheating and she didn't believe her. She actually didn't believe it until she saw it her eyes.

She stood up quickly wiping her eyes as she remembered all of this. She refused to shed another tear on him when he doesn't deserve her tears.

What surprised her the most is that he thinks he's going to win her over again; he was now on her black list and he'll never get out of it.

XxXx

"Where were you?" Joe asked Nick as he entered their room.

"With her." He said absentmindedly by what happened just now. He had a hot make out session with Miley. The girl who thought he was her cousin for 21 years, and then her ex boyfriend chose to appear in the picture again claiming that he's her fiancé. It's either he's an idiot or Miley's a liar. Nick preferred to go with the first option.

"Delta?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, who else?"

"So, you guys are good again?"

"I don't know, Joe. Sometimes we're perfect but then we can't stand each other the next minute."

"Every relationship have its ups and downs, dude." Joe shrugged, "You'll be okay."

"I don't know, ever since I got here, it's been troubling with us."

"So, isn't it a positive that we won't stay so long?" Joe smiled although there was a hint of sadness in it.

"What do you mean?" Nick frowned and he could swear his heart skipped a beat right there.

"It's just a few days more, dude until the supposed time ends and everybody goes their way again."

Was it weird that he felt his stomach flip upside down by hearing that? Was it strange that he felt real disappointment inside of him? Was it _wrong_ that this feeling was because he was going to miss what he just had with her?

"Really? It's been a month already?"

"Yes, can you believe it? It passed so quickly, right?"

"Yeah…" he trailed off.

"I'm gonna miss it here. I'm gonna miss her." Nick looked at his brother weirdly hearing him whisper the last part.

"Miss who?"

Joe sighed, "Never mind," he shook his head.

"Joe, what do you mean you're gonna miss her?" he had this smile forming on his lips realizing his brother fell in the trap.

"Don't look at me like that. I just couldn't help it." He snapped at him making Nick do nothing but laugh as Joe groaned, "It's Demi." He admitted it.

"Wow." Nick said fazed, "Really, wow. Just, wow."

"I got it, dude, you didn't see it coming. Neither did I."

"Why Demi?"

"I can ask you why Delta too." Joe challenged, "There's no reason why you like someone, Nick, you just do." he shrugged.

"I mean, you didn't like her back then and you did now. You ignored when she actually had something for you and you like her when she hates your guts." Nick frowned as Joe rolled his eyes.

"Who told you I didn't like her back then. Actually both of them."

Nick looked at him for a while with narrowed eyes, "If you say so." He decided to get along so he can end the conversation and think about what happened and what _will_ happen.

"I did." Joe exclaimed knowing he didn't believe him.

"Alright, alright, I believe you."

"No, you don't, because you haven't experienced it. You only have Delta, you don't know how it's like to have two great people before you and actually think emotionally of both. Yet, one of them should win at the end." He tried to explain, "But you won't get it."

_Oh, Joe, you have no idea. I might be starting to get your point_. Nick thought.

XxXx

That night, after Miley was done pretending to be asleep, she was finally walking downstairs where everyone was. They weren't all in one place though…

She guessed that she had missed dinner, but she didn't care, she was just searching for Demi so she can talk to her.

That was when she spotted him.

And she had this feeling inside her that she couldn't help but let out as her forehead caressed and she started storming towards him,

"What's the hell are you still doing here?" she almost screamed as Jake jumped from his spot on the couch and looked at her.

"Jesus, Miley, you scared me." He rolled his eyes.

"I told you to go. What are you doing here, Jake?"

"I was going, okay? But when I headed out, there was that storm, and I can't drive right now."

"Oh, really? Since when are you afraid of rain, Little Jakey?" she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not, Miley, but this storm is strong. So, I'll leave in the morning, I can't pressure you into seeing me." He said calmly as she looked at him in disbelief. Seriously? He's trying to act like the gentle man here? And he actually thinks she would fall for it?

She let out a loud sigh and turned around but Sara's voice stopped her when she heard her saying:

"Excuse me, sir, but this storm won't be done by the morning."

"What do you mean?" she turned around again and directed her frown at the head-maid.

"This storm happens every year, and it's not just one storm. That's why we were hurrying to harvest the crops lately, because this storm will destroy everything."

"What are you saying?" Liam spoke up, by now, everyone around the hearing zone was focused with Sara: Liam, Jake, Miley, Justin and Danielle.

"This storm is known here. It's annual. And the storm that you just saw is the first in the chain, it leads to other stronger ones. No one actually gets able to leave homes." She explained further.

"How long?"

"At least a week."

"What the hell? Why did no one tell us?" Liam exclaimed. "We now have to stay more than the month."

Miley shook her head and left, she didn't want to hear anymore, she remembered the one time Liam spoke to her and Demi in their room. Didn't he say he wanted to be nice? Then he went on and told the boys' secret and went back to being a total jerk! Speaking of the brothers and jerks, Miley went back to searching for Demi.

She finally came to the conclusion that she, Taylor and Selena are at the sisters' room, so she went there and she wasn't mistaken.

"Finally, you're up." Selena rolled her eyes as Miley entered and closed the door behind her. "Now _she_ can put this conversation to an end." She smirked as Miley gave a confused smile.

"We were discussing what happened. You disappear and then come down with Nick in your tail and all." Demi explained as Miley gave them a smirk.

"Oh my God!" Selena exclaimed, "You lost the bet."

Miley remembered and nodded getting out forty bucks from her pocket and handed Demi and Selena each a twenty, they both looked at Taylor who rolled her eyes and did the same.

"Now, the details." Demi squealed as Miley chuckled and told them everything that happened including the Denise talk.

"Wow." The three pair of eyes went wide.

"Told you he'll make a move." Selena pointed out.

"That's what freaked me out, why were you so sure? You're not with him, are you?" Miley raised an eyebrow.

Selena laughed and shook her head, "No, of course not, although you have the right to think that after what I've done, but just judging by his and his brother's actions I knew he'd do so."

"Right!"

"So," Taylor bit her lip, "Is he a good kisser?"

"Damn it, yeah!" Miley said and with this she has been showered with questions about him.

"Did Jake finally leave?" Demi asked her after a while of Nick-related questions.

"God, no." she rolled her eyes and told them Sara's words.

"Perfect." Selena smiled.

"What?"

"Like that, there's gonna be so much exciting things." She exclaimed as she explained to them how Jake and Nick are going to feel like there's competition and how curious she will be to see Delta and Nick's relationship as he's cheating on her, and how they're going to shower Joe with tricks.

Surprisingly, they were all excited and into the ideas she were saying one after another.

They actually seem to get along.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"Miley, Miley, answer me. Are you really going with the silent treatment now?" Jake rolled his eyes. "Seriously, don't be such a kid."

"Me? I'm the one being a kid? Just let go. Don't you get that I fucking hate you now?"

"You don't mean that."

"Yeah, I do." She threw her hands up in the air and rolled her eyes turning away.

"I see you really did something bad?" Liam asked Jake from his spot at the kitchen table sipping his morning coffee.

Jake turned to him and took a seat next him and sighed, "I guess so."

"What did you do?" he asked curiously.

"I, um, cheated."

For some reason Liam felt a sudden hatred rush through him towards the guy sitting next to him. Was he starting to care? Was the sudden closeness between his sisters and their cousins making him feel like they're like sisters to him too?

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"You don't love her, do you?"

"I do, why would I be here then?"

"Why did you cheat in the first place?"

"It was a mistake."

"Then, give her time; she might get over it if she really loves you."

"She does, I know she does."

On another far corner of the house, Miley sat next a window gazing at the outside not seeing anything but the dusty wind mixed with the rain.

"What are you doing?" she felt a soft hand on her shoulder as she jumped and looked up to see Nick looking down at her with a smile.

"Nothing, just thinking."

"About?"

"Jake is just making me nuts… no big deal."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really. There's nothing to talk about, I loved him, he cheated, I was so blind, but when I figured it out it completely changed my feelings towards… and there he is back for his father's and mines sakes."

"Your father?"

"Yeah, they're partners… he wants me to marry him. It'll make them closer or some shit like that."

"Oh, I'm really sorry about that, Miley."

"I just wish I'd just forget about it all."

He smirked, "I guess I can help in a way."

She looked at him confused.

He leaned closer to her, "Meet me in the third floor in fifteen." He whispered to her making her shiver.

He pulled back as she looked at him with a slight smile processing it as she nodded. He gave her a grin and walked away.

"What were you doing talking with her?" she heard Delta starting a fight with him again.

"We were just talking, Del." He said annoyed and just left. She heard her huff and stomp her foot on the floor as she just gazed out the window.

"You." She felt her closer as she looked at her to see her pointing an accusing finger at her. "He's mine. Back off."

"You're crazy." Miley shook her head at her and left like Nick just did.

"Just back off."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved a hand at her carelessly as she climbed up the stairs.

Just like he told her, fifteen minutes later she was outside the room they were at the day before. She hesitated before turning the knob of the door; she knew this was wrong, but… she needed him and she knew he needed her. That's it. She turned the knob and entered.

She saw him sitting there by the window, when he heard her closing the door he turned around and smiled at her, "Did she say anything?"

"No, just her normal bullshit."

"Good." He leaned in and kissed her and soon her arms were wrapped around his neck so was her legs around his waist and he had his arms around her keeping her balance.

He slowly moved them to the bed as he laid her there with him on top. And quickly, the kiss turned into making out.

She pulled away –a while after- as he raised his head from her neck to look at her confused. "I think we should stop. They might be looking for us."

He nodded hiding his disappointment.

"And…"

He raised his head staring at her with big brown eyes, "And…?" He encouraged her to continue.

"I wanna talk…"

"Um, yeah, I'm listening." He stated a little too nervous.

She had her eyes searching the room quickly, so she doesn't meet his eyes. Giving a nervous chuckle that really matched the current atmosphere, she gained courage to look at him, "Like I said, they might be looking for us anytime soon, so…"

"Um, fine, uh… what about we meet later? Like midnight?" he suggested hesitantly.

"I guess that'd be good." She smiled as her nervousness vanished due to his suggestion.

"Great." He smiled also.

XxXx

Loud bangs were heard erupting through the house, and slowly everyone was able to determine it was coming from Joe and Nick's room.

"What the hell is wrong?" Denise yelled frustrated.

"Mom?" she heard a desperate muffled voice she recognized as Joe's. "I'm locked."

"What?"

"I'm locked in the room, mom, from the outside," he explained. For she knew that Joe had the fear of the closed narrow places, she hurried to search for Sara to help open the door.

As soon as she was out of hearing zone, another door opened, as Selena walked slowly towards the locked door.

"Really? Asking for mommy's help?" she spoke and tsk-ed.

"Just open, the door." He said annoyed realizing why he's sweating like a pig in this closed room.

"Nope."

"Open the door, Selena." He coughed.

"And if I didn't?"

"Selena…" he coughed again.

"Enough, just open the door." Demi told her.

"What? No, don't tell me he fooled you."

"Open the damn door." He screamed.

Demi moved forward and snatched the key from Selena -who let out a protesting noise, and she clicked the door open to see Joe hurrying out, sweet covering his face as he inhaled a deep breath and looked at them.

"That wasn't funny." He said looking between the four girls, he didn't know that Taylor and Miley were there too, or would even be hooked in such a game for they didn't speak or move a muscle.

"For me, it was." Selena gave him a fake smile.

"Joe! What happened?" Denise came back with Sara trailing behind her.

"Nothing, mom, the door was just stuck."

"Stupid boy." She exclaimed frustrated. "What the hell was the noise for?"

"It's fine, it was really stuck; we had to push all at once to let it open." Demi put in getting along with his lie, she didn't know if he lied to get them out of it or to revenge back. But, she voted for the second choice.

Denise shook her head and walked away. Joe looked at Demi who looked back at him, "Thank you, I guess."

She looked at him with no response and turned around and walked into her room closing the door behind her.

"Okay!" he said to himself and noticed the other three looking at him. Slowly Taylor and Miley left too while Selena was the last to leave but not without giving him a look of victory and sarcasm.

XxXx

Hours later, when it was midnight, Miley was sneaking to the third floor… she spent the past hours locked out her room as Demi didn't want to open the door, she just said she wants to be alone.

As much as she wanted to just rest and go see what's wrong with Demi, she also needed to have that talk with Nick.

"Hey," she closed the door firmly behind her and turned around to see him sitting on the bed waiting.

He smiled, "Hi."

She moved and sat down as far as she can from him.

"Um, you wanted to talk!" he told her after a while of silence.

"Yeah, um, you know, I was just confused of…" she trailed off.

"The new level of our relation."

"Yeah, that's it." She felt relief wash over her.

"Yeah, um, I'm sorry, it's my fault, I led you to this."

"No, I agreed you with this."

"I promise, I won't ever-"

"No,"

He looked at her wide eyed as she felt her cheeks redden.

"I mean… um, this is not what I wanted you to… I mean, I wanted to know why."

"Why what?" he asked her with a smile as he was fighting his laughter.

"Why you know started this?"

He scratched the back of his head and looked away, "You want the truth?"

She nodded.

"I think I'm attracted to you."

She fought the smile to come to her face, but she failed, "Just that?"

"What else do you expect?"

"I mean, Delta."

"Oh," he nodded, "I think we're fading."

"You don't love her anymore?"

"I don't know, but I know that when I was with her earlier, I was waiting patiently for this moment."

She smiled and he mirrored it.

"Sooo..?" she wondered.

"I said I'm attracted to you. Then, why did _you_ get along with me?"

"Because I'm attracted to you." She shrugged as he smiled.

"Then why are you sitting so far?" he smirked and got up walking towards her. She laughed and got up too but walked towards the door.

"Actually I have to go. Demi needs me."

"Oh, yeah, I heard of what you did to Joe."

"Did what?" she raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh, well, we'll talk about it later." He pointed his fore finger at her.

"Yeah, yeah." She shrugged him off as he chuckled. She waved at him one more time before leaving as he smiled at the spot she disappeared behind and sighed laying on the bed and staring at the ceiling.

Did she just say she's attracted to him too? Yes, he lied, he wasn't just attracted but he liked her, and he did know he doesn't love Delta anymore. But he also wasn't ready to tell her that, she'd think he's playing with her.

A loud scream was heard. They expected another attack soon, but this one was so familiar to him, this one was so close to his place, this scream was Miley's.

_I know, I know, it's been months, but here's the summary of what happened, school began, shit happened along with studying and I was failing so I was grounded and I didn't have the laptop until now that I'm doing better! _

_And I hope I made up for the delay by this chapter, I'll try to finish next chapter of Different powers soon :)_


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Nick felt his heart fall to his knees as he rushed out of the room and ran towards the staircase. He saw it. He saw the black tall clock and the mask over the face, as he also saw the knife that was at Miley's neck.

When his footsteps were heard the figure looked up and then they did the most unexpected thing ever, they jumped off the staircase.

"Hey, you." Nick yelled running towards Miley, he held her tightly as she suddenly burst out crying on his shoulder and he pat her back hearing sounds from downstairs wondering where the scream came from that time.

It took a second from him to realize that someone –the criminal- just jumped off the staircase and he looked down to see it as quiet and empty as ever, besides his cousins are just downstairs, they should see them.

Didn't take them too long to decide searching the third floor, and then he was in the position of calming Miley down while having the eyes of almost all the inhabitants of the house watching still confused.

"What the hell happened?" Demi yelled running towards Miley hugging her back.

"I saw them, they were trying to kill her, they'd have succeeded if I didn't turn up." Nick said almost shivering from the thought.

"And how in the hell did you turn up so fast?" Jake said as Delta narrowed her eyes and looked at her boyfriend.

"And how in the hell does your mind work?" Nick spat back.

"He's right, you know." Delta pointed out.

Nick rolled his eyes at her and just ignored them both, "Come on, Mi." he said trying to make her move down as Demi helped him.

They reached the second floor and entered the room and let Miley lay on her bed as Nick held her close. Demi, Selena and Taylor exchanged a look wondering what happened between them before the attack.

Miley was calmer when she opened her eyes and stared at the faces looking at her, it was just then that Nick noticed they were all looking at them as he soothed her making her calm down.

"What happened?"

She looked at Nick and then at Kevin who was awaiting for the answer of his question. "I was… roaming around, and they just came out and attacked me."

"Roaming around in the third floor?" Delta raised an eyebrow.

"They took me up there." Miley replied quickly.

"Did you see the… thing, Nick?" Delta asked again.

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing." She huffed.

"It means that your theory about Miley being the attacker is all bullshit now, doesn't it?" Joe snapped at her as she rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't talking to you, Joe-"

"You said that _my_ Miley is an attacker?" Jake put in.

"Dude, get a life, she said she doesn't want you." Nick told him.

"And why are you so concerned with it Mr.?" Delta spoke.

"Because he's pathetic. He can't get-"

"Guys." Miley screamed and they all looked at her, "Leave the fucking room and go solve your problems away. I'm tired."

"Who the hell do you think you are to speak like that?" Delta started again.

"DELTA." Nick yelled, "Just stop already." He rolled his eyes. "Come on." He took her arm and walked towards the door but not without sending Miley another soothing look. Soon, they all followed out after seeing that Miley is okay and only Demi, Selena and Taylor was left.

"So…?" Selena started, "What really happened?"

"Well, you know, we met… sorted things out, I was coming to you, Dem, and then, they just appeared out of the blue with the knife and quickly got me under their grip directly pointing the knife to my neck. I screamed and then he hurried out of the room, and they just jumped off the staircase."

"Wow, that's weird."

"It means that the attacker is highly flexible." Taylor commented.

"It also means that, there's someone else knows that you and Nick just met." Selena pointed out as the other three looked at her in shock.

"You're right." Miley whispered. "Oh my God, they're going to tell and they're going to hate us."

"Relax, relax. That's not going to happen. If the person told about you, then everybody will know who the attacker is; that of course if it's someone of the inhabitants of the house and not a ghost. In the case of it being a ghost, then it will not bother with you two. If it's someone, then, it may not bother and it may blackmail you."

"You know what, she's right." Demi nodded, "And I reckon that they'll not bother, because also in the case of blackmailing you, they'll be risking getting discovered."

Miley looked at them unsure biting her lower lip.

"Even in the worst cases which is telling about you, we'll be there for you; we know the whole thing from the beginning." Taylor shrugged.

"I don't know guys, let's just wait and see what happens about that." She shrugged it off getting annoyed of thinking about it.

"Alright."

"So, what kind of things did you guys sort out?" Selena asked smiling.

Miley rolled her eyes, "I thought you forgot."

"I never forget."

"Okay, um, he said that he's… attracted to me." She bit her lower lip harder looking between them all.

"He what?" Demi said open mouthed with a hint of a smile.

"Spell everything, Miles." Taylor demanded as Miley told them the details of the previous meeting.

"And, you're really attracted to him, aren't you?" Selena asked quietly knowing she's right and that her cousin is falling and no one can do anything about it now.

"Yes…"

"Oh, my God! Miles!" Demi exclaimed.

"Why, why, why!" Taylor covered her face with her hands.

"Whoa, don't freak the girl out." Selena said with a hint of a smile. It was surprising that Selena is the one who's acting calmly while Taylor and Demi freaked all out on her.

"What? Selena, she's falling for Nick. Joe's brother."

"Okay, she is, but she's already falling, and you freaking out like that will not make her hate him!" she snapped.

"Alright," Taylor took a deep breath and looked at Miley, "Miley, he has a girlfriend and yet he basically told you he likes you… he's cheating on her." She tried the rational talk.

"We all know that he and Delta are fighting all the time and that he's getting annoyed of her." Miley said shaking her head.

"But, Miley, he might be like Joe. No, he actually is… he knew about what Joe did, and he didn't so anything." Demi said.

"Do you know what happened between him and Joe? In private I mean." Demi shook her head, "Then shut up."

"I can't believe this." Taylor shook her head, "You really are falling." Then she turned to her sister, "Why aren't you talking?"

"You want my opnion?" she directed her words to Miley as the girl nodded, "Okay, away from all the Joe problems and our revenge and all these things, when I actually talked with Joe the other day, he seemed like a nice guy… you know that he's the one who made me try and talk with you guys." Selena started.

"What are you trying to say?" Taylor asked narrowing her eyes.

"You guys liked him when you were just friends and even when he started dating you. You said he was nice. And after just that one mistake you guys hated him. But you never tried listening to him." Selena said.

"Sel, what are you-"

"Let me finish, Tay." She cut of the exclamation sentence of her older sister, "Do you know what your problem is? You tried the sweet and nice Joe and you liked him a lot, but he hurt you two big time, and he's sorry, and he tried showing you that while you never cared, or pretending not to care. You two are afraid of him, afraid of liking him again and getting hurt by him again. Deep down, you two still like Joe, and maybe even love in Demi's case."

"Wha-" Demi raised her eyebrows and looked at her in shock.

"Dem, you're the one who opened the door for him and locked yourself in your room afterwards for about four hours… and you would have been still locking yourself if it wasn't for the attack." Selena said giving her a reassuring smile.

"What's your point, Selena?" Demi asked.

"Well, maybe you need to listen to what he has to say."

"You are saying that?" Taylor looked at her in disbelief. "Yesterday, you were the one who was telling us how to get revenge."

"We all know that this talk and the whole revenge idea were because we thought of it from the emotional side. Yet, when you try the rational one, you find that maybe just maybe Joe's actually a nice guy. And to know about that you need to talk to him."

A minute of silence passed among them as if they are wax figures until finally a nod and a sigh were reacted.

"I think you're right." Demi said looking at the ground. "He actually might be."

"Well, to tell the truth, until I knew what happened, I actually considered him really nice." Miley said truthfully, "But as Selena said, we all were blinded by anger from his mistake."

"He even lied to his mother covering for us today." Demi continued as if Miley never spoke.

"And that was what you were thinking about while locking yourself here, huh?" Selena asked her.

"Yes," Demi said and looked up at them.

"Demi," Taylor exclaimed, "You do still love him."

Demi looked at her horrified not knowing if Taylor was mad at her or insulting her or what exactly.

"Oh, God, I'm the one who ruined it." Taylor said, "I didn't have to turn up in the picture."

"What do you mean?" Miley asked her confused as Demi was still looking at her carefully.

"I mean, I never reached the level of really loving him, maybe I liked him a lot, but never said I love you… yet, clearly Demi did, and I just showed up ruining everything for her."

"No, Taylor, if all this shit didn't happen, I'd have never known all the things I know now."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I never told you that, but after some time of what happened… I needed therapist's help. And to tell you the truth it helped me a lot… in everything actually."

"Wow, Dem, you loved him that much?"

"No, I _trusted_ him that much. I mean, I never knew that I actually loved him until I used therapy."

"You didn't say I love you?"

"I did, I just sometimes wondered if that's what love is. I didn't know, it was my first relationship."

"So, you'll give him a chance?" Miley bit her lip looking at Demi.

"I…"

"Demi, you won't lose anything if you talked to him." Selena said.

"But –"

"It's not like you'll tell him how much you miss him or something. You'll just hear him out." Miley told her.

"Um… I guess I need that?"

"You definitely do." Selena said, Miley squealed and they looked at Taylor.

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, "I'll hear him out."

"Good! Now, we're on the right way." Selena smiled.

"When did you become so wise?" Taylor said to her sister.

"I'm always wise, sis, you just don't ask for my advice so often."

"We were originally talking about Nick and Miley, how in the held did we end up talking about Joe or Selena's wise side?" Demi pointed out.

"Well, our problem with Nick is that he's Joe's brother, so, we needed to fix the Joe thing first." Selena replied.

"Right!" Demi nodded, "Listen, Mi, please just think about it very well before making any decision, and I don't mean falling for him, I mean getting involved in any relationship with him. Nick or any other guy."

"I know, Demi, don't tell me out of all people about it. I mean, I have Jake as an example, you know."

"Right, but sometimes you need a reminder."

"Okay, I'll think about it, but, I know he's a good guy."

XxXx

"Just tell me the truth and I'll stop following you, Nick, just let me know."

"_Delta_!" Nick gritted his teeth, "Please, just stop this bullshit, I'm freaking tired and I'm not talking to you about anything that's not true, okay?"

Nick was walking towards his room while Delta was following him asking him questions about his super nature powers of being there with Miley before them all. It was 10 am and she has been doing that for hours as she woke him up early for the same reason. He finally reached the room as he entered and closed the door in her face locking it.

"Really, Nick? Don't you dare think that this conversation is over, I'll leave you to rest as you demand, but we're talking later."

"Just piss off already." Nick mumbled annoyed not caring if she heard or not.

"Wow, dude," Joe said hearing Delta's footsteps walking away, "she really got your nerve."

"You have no idea." He told him and threw his body on his bed closing his eyes finally seeking in some peace.

"Hey, Nick," Joe started after a while of silence.

"Hmm?"

"Do you still love her?"

"Honestly bro, I don't think I do."

"Yeah, I thought so, and you also have someone else in mind, am I right?"

"What?" Nick opened his eyes and turned around looking at Joe.

"I'm right then." Joe smiled.

"What are you talking about? You're completely-"

A knock on the door was loudly heard as Nick instantly closed his eyes pretending to be asleep in case it was Delta again. Joe chuckled ad went to open the door also preparing himself for facing the angry girlfriend only to be totally surprised when he found Demi and Taylor both standing there.

"Hey, Joe, we need to talk."

XxXx

_Are there still even fans for this story? I don't blame you if you abandoned it, but really, I'm just really busy I can't even sleep well, It's been so long since I've slept 5 hours together, anyway, I'm trying to keep up with life, so just forgive me? I'll try to write more for the other stories :) I really want to write more. I miss writing, but I guess it'll all be better soon :)_

_PS- I just completed my 17__th__ year in this life :)))) my birthday was on 17__th__ of April… and my friends held up the best surprise birthday party I could ever wish for… love them all :))_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"So…" Joe said as he walked with folded arms over his chase along side the two girls to the far corner of the house that allows them to have a good scene of the garden –which was a complete disaster due o the continuous storm.

"You know what we want to talk about." Demi pointed out.

"Alright, go ahead yell at me and start throwing insulting words."

"Why would we do that?" Taylor asked him.

"Isn't that what you've been doing since the incident?"

"Yeah, that's why we wanted to change that, we're actually willing to hear you out, Joe." Demi said impatiently as Joe just looked between them shocked.

"What kind of a trick is that?"

"That's not a trick you, idiot." Taylor rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, right, yesterday, you locked me up in my room and today you're all ears to hear me out."

"Yeah, we changed our minds, Joe, we now want to know your excuses."

He looked them in the eyes and found no evil look or anything but truth, so, he gave a sigh, "I didn't really wish to talk with you both at the same time, but I guess that's better than nothing at all."

"It is."

"Okay, but please, don't interrupt me or get any offended, I'll just speak the truth without any compliments, not anymore."

"Please do this."

"Okay, here it goes… when I first started to talk with you girls, it was because I've missed you, I was missing my cousins and I wanted to reconnect with you all, so I did my best to find you, and you two were the first I found.

We started talking, and then got closer… when I found out we weren't really biologically related, I was afraid to tell you at first in fear of you wanting nothing to do with me anymore or something… but you both surprised me with your reactions… little did I know there were already exited feelings back then.

And then, I felt attracted to you, Demi, so I asked you out and was really happy when you said yes. After two months- in which I had lost connections with you Tay, because you were out of town- you came back, and ran directly to me, you were so sad and you told me to never leave you side, and basically asked me out which I agreed to thinking it was just friendly date that you needed to talk with me at.

But, then, you were acting like we're dating, and you were so depressed of that thing that I couldn't off possibly leave you like that.

For the span of eight months, I've been trying to tell you nicely that it wasn't what you thought, but even when you became better, I couldn't bring myself to do it. Every time I was about to, you come up and tell me you're either sad or so happy!

And you, Dem, I wanted to tell you and ask you for advice, but, I also couldn't, I was afraid you'd think I'm a jerk or something… and also when I was about to tell you, you come telling me to never leave you and if I cheat on you, you'll cut down my throat."

He finally finished talking as he looked at them both waiting for their response.

"That… that makes so much more sense now." Taylor said blinking, "I always wondered why you were seeming so distant."

"Yeah, I was trying to tell you. I know that what I've done was wrong, but I was just waiting for the right time."

"Joe, you're hesitant." Demi insulted.

"I know, I know, I know it's my hesitation that brought us to this situation, but I swear I never meant to hurt you. In fact I was trying not to."

"But that led to the three of us getting hurt."

"I know, and I'm really sorry, everybody makes mistakes, but it's about who would repeat them and who would learn from them."

"And you?"

"I definitely learnt from my mistakes."

"So, if you have another chance…?"

"I will use it right this time. Come on, guys, I've been trying to tell you this for so long, do you think I would be that determined if I didn't care?"

"Alright, Joe, I think I might handle you one more time, only because you were a good friend though…" Taylor said as he rolled his eyes at her attempt to joke.

"Thank you, Tay, really." He said looking at her gratefully then they both looked at Demi waiting for her to say something.

"You realize how mush damage you caused?"

He nodded.

"You regret it?"

He nodded again.

Demi sighed as she remembered her grandfather's words she remembers saying to Taylor before his death, she remembered how he wanted them to forgive and forget. Yes Joe messed up big time, but everybody makes mistakes, and she's never seen anything bad from him before that incident, so, he might as well be sorry for it…

"Fine."

"You forgive me?" he asked doubtingly.

"Yes, Joe." She nodded annoyed.

"Thank you." He jumped up pulling her into a hug as she widened her eyes taken aback before hugging back. They pulled away as she gave him an awkward smile and he returned it with a wide one. He turned around giving Taylor one as well leaving Demi having her own party in her mind.

XxXx

"YAY." Miley squealed happily as Taylor and Demi filled her and Selena up with what happened with Joe.

"Nice decision," Selena said, "Now, we can talk about little Ms. Miley and her issue here."

"Relax, Sel. There's no problem, I thought about it, and I know what I'm doing."

"He has a girlfriend."

"Haven't you all seen her?" Miley defended rolling her eyes, "She's a bitch."

"Yes, but, he's still with her."

They heard a knock on the door before Miley could reply as Taylor who was nearest opened the door to reveal the angry girlfriend.

"Hello." She said with the fakest smile ever. Delta entered the room and quickly glimpsed around to see the four girls there, "Nice to see you all getting along."

No body answered as they all looked at her and what she was wearing, she was wearing a tight pink shirt that looked like it would explode if she tried to move with a leopard pants that she most possibly used oil to help squeezing them on.

"What are you doing here?" Selena finally asked her, but it came out with a look of disgust as Delta cleared her throat ad ignored Selena's question looking directly at Miley.

"You, this is the last time I tell you to back off. He's my boyfriend. Mine. You have yours downstairs here; so quit playing around and take back the poor dude."

Miley looked at her and stood up from the bed to face her, "First,  
I did nothing to your so called boyfriend. Second, you have nothing to do with me and Mr. Jakey who sent you here saying whatever shit about me."

"No body sent me here. And what do you mean saying 'so called boyfriend'?"

"Really? Are you really that oblivious?"

"And what's the hell is that supposed to mean now?"

"Listen, we all here know that you're only with him for money, and you might have noticed that he's already considering dumping you, so, why not leave him and take the one actually having your very same intentions?" Selena put in.

Delta frowned at her as if searching for the one she's talking about not even thinking about defending herself.

"Jake." Miley confirmed.

"You bitches are gonna pay for this. You can't say that about me and Nick, we're perfect!" she said storming out of the room.

"Woah, she's gone mental."

"Nick is going to dump her anyway." Miley said as the other three shared a look.

"Miley, he was supposed to be in love with her."

"Yet, he cheated."

"Guys, I know, okay?" she sighed. "I know that, but trust me, Nick is not like that."

"Miley-"

"Listen, I know him better than the three of you, so, just trust me."

"But-"

"Please."

"Okay, we're watching out for you… and you tell us everything, and since you're clearly in love with him… just hear us out if we say something against him."

"Sounds fair." Miley smiled big.

XxXx

"What's wrong now?" Nick asked Delta who was crying on his shoulder.

"I can't believe what they said, Nicky." She sobbed hugging him close.

"Why won't you just calm down and tell me what happened?" he asked not knowing what to do, it's not the first time Delta comes to him crying, but it's his way of dealing with it that's new… this time her sobs and tears made him annoyed.

She looked up at him and wiped her tears, "I was there with them, trying to make everything good between us and then they went all like you're only here for money and…" she started crying again.

"And what?"

"And that I don't care about you… and that you…"

"What about me?"

"You're considering dumping me, and that I should go to Jake because he's here for money too."

Nick sighed and rubbed her back… he wanted to tell her, but that didn't seem like the right time to him… but then again, when ever it will be…

"Delta-"

"You don't think I'm here for money, do you?" he groaned uneasily at her question.

"No, but I-"

"I just want you to know that I love you."

He couldn't take it anymore, he shook his head as she was gazing into his eyes as he closed them and inhaled a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I-" he said opening his eyes again only to find her kissing him deeply. He was surprised, especially considering what he was going to say next… but one thing he was sure of, he really should say it seeing that even the kiss is not what he used to.

He heard the door to his room hit the wall as he pushed her away looking at the door frame seeing a wave of light brown hair disappearing as he panicked.

Shit.

_So, finals is what's happening… actually, I'm finishing tomorrow, or today, don't know it's 1:30 a.m. here, haha, this exam is not that hard anyway, so, you must get updates sooner now… I'm trying to write the other stories too… and about the collab with __iibelieveindreamers__, I'll try to contact you as soon as I can, hopefully tomorrow :)) –the network is crazy here, I had to write this on my computer and update from my phone. Everybody go check out the Collab 'Lightweight' and her other stories because they're seriously amazing :DD_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"MILEY!" he ran after her as he dumped Delta to his side; she rolled her eyes and followed him.

"Miley, wait." He called as she entered her room quickly slamming the door in his face. "Miley, please open."

"Why are you even after her?" Delta screamed throwing her arms up in the air.

"Delta, just go now."

"Go? I just told how much they've hurt me, and you're running after her?"

"Delta!"

"What, Nick? What?" she rolled her eyes, "Why do you even bother? She's not even that beautiful."

"DELTA!" he yelled with his eyes throwing daggers at her. "I said leave."

"No, Nick, I'm not leaving, I'm not letting you go after a bitch in front of my eyes. I'm-"

"WILL YOU TWO JUST GO FIGHT SOMEWHERE ELSE?" the door suddenly opened as Miley screamed at them both clearly ragging angrily. By this time, their cousins were gathering to see what was going wrong.

"Don't you dare go around ordering us like that." Delta said.

"Oh, if you didn't notice, you're standing screaming at my door." Miley snapped.

"What's wrong, guys? Why are you being so loud?" Denise stepped in.

"Your son here is running after his fucking cousin. He's cheating."

Both Nick and Miley stared at her with blank faces; neither of them expected Delta to know about it, and there she said it… wouldn't that just make everyone see them is the dirty cheaters there?

"Quit this bullshit you're saying." Nick said trying to cover it up, after all he knew Delta could be exaggerating.

"As if it didn't happen in front of my own eyes." She rolled her eyes.

"What?" Miley spat.

"Shut it, you dirty boyfriend-stealer."

"Shut up, Delta." Nick screamed at her.

"There you go defending her again. You are supposed to be on my side."

"Really? Why is that?"

"You're my boyfriend, idiot."

"Well, guess what, not anymore."

Gasps erupted among the frozen group. Yes, they have seen them fighting before, but this time it was just so heated and filled with hate words that they were just too surprised to interfere and stop anything, let alone the involvement of Miley in the fight.

And now, Nick just indicated he's breaking up with her.

"What did you say?"

"We're over, Delta. For good."

"We can't be."

"Well, I just broke up with you." He rolled his eyes as she stood there with her mouth slightly opened just staring at him.

The next thing the new, Delta let out a dangerous noise as she jumped forward attacking Miley while the later screamed falling to the ground. "You, bitch, you brain-washed him. What did you do?"

"Enough, Delta." Denise screamed as she forcefully pulled her off of Miley, Delta kept a handful of Miley's hair refusing to let go. Only after the screams and pulls from and the shouting and scratches from Selena did she let go.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Nick screamed at her face. She looked with pure hatred at him before turning around and leaving them entering her room with a loud slam of the door.

"What the hell was that all about?" Denise said angrily directly looking at her son.

"Nothing, mom, I'll fix everything." He told her and turned to Miley who was now crying on Selena's shoulder while Demi and Taylor both held her when they were finally able to reach her.

"Come on, Mi." Nick said taking over Miley's arm trying to get her into her room.

The other three girls looked at each other trying to decide if Nick's existence was a good idea or not.

Sighing, they just let him in for the mean time. "What happened?" Demi looked at Nick with accusing eyes; she's just forgave his brother and was willing for a new start with them, but now, she might change her mind once again.

"It's us, just Delta and her sick mind."

"Why would Delta call her such names?"

"You know she's jealous of her." He rolled his eyes. "Mi," he leaned down to be on her level as she was sitting on the bed. "I'm sorry, okay? I never meant for all of this to happen."

She didn't reply. She was hiding her face behind her palms. She wasn't crying though… not sobbing at least, which was a positive.

"Miles, are you okay?" Selena sat next her wrapping an arm around her shoulder. They saw her slightly nodding, but apart form that she didn't move a muscle.

"Can you guys leave us alone for a while, please?" Nick requested after giving a sigh.

Again, the three exchanged a look and then looked at Miley again.

"Um, I think you should leave for now." Taylor told him as he just looked at her crinkling his eyebrows in a silent plea.

"Come on, guys, I'm not going to hurt her, I lo- I mean I care for her a lot." He stuttered on his last words.

Selena instantly broke her face into a smirk looking at him and then at Miley, "Are you okay with that, Miley?"

The four pairs of eyes focused on her for a second before seeing the small nod.

"Alright, guys, I think we need to leave." Selena said standing up.

"You better be good." Demi mumbled as she passed him.

Nick waited until the three left and he was left alone with Miley. He took a seat next her on the bed as he slowly uncovered her face. She was refusing at first but then she gave in and he moved her hands away from her face.

"Look at me, Miles." She didn't as he once again held her chain and turned her face to be facing him.

She brought her eyes to his and all he saw was confusion. He literally relaxed. He expected much more, he expected hurt, disappointment and even hatred. But, there she was only wanting to know where she stands.

"Listen to me, Miley," he took a deep breath, "Okay, when I said I'm attracted to you I lied; because I think I'm falling for you… that's just to be clear from the very first begging…" he said confidently making her creep a smile without even realizing.

"About what you saw earlier, it was her kissing me… and I'm thankful she did; because that little gesture from her made me know the difference… it was the last straw, you know."

She just looked at him analyzing his features to see any sign of lying but she found none as she smiled looking at him.

"And about this stupid fight she held with you… I'm so sorry about that it's really-"

"I think I'm falling for you too." She cut him off as slowly her smile grew wider so did his.

"Well, there's no problem now." He shrugged leaning in to have their lips meeting in a delicate soft kiss as the both smiled.

"Well, well, well, why did you deny it when I asked you there's another one then?" A voice said as they both pulled away quickly looking at the direction of the voice to see Joe standing on the doorframe and Denise holding the door knob while basically everyone else in the house stood behind.

"Sorry, guys, I thought you might be killing each other there." Denise said actually a little embarrassed.

Well, now, everybody there knew about them having a thing for each other.

"Oh, God." Miley went again to hiding her face behind her palms as Nick cleared his throat and stood up ready for all the explanations they needed to know, so, they wouldn't judge too fast; he knew that Miley wouldn't bear that.

"Before you guys start jumping into conclusions, me and Miley had something growing between us a while ago, and she doesn't have anything to do with me and Delta splitting up. I guess that's all you need to know to not judge her or me for that matter."

"Nick, follow me now." Denise said as she headed out of the room. Nick looked back at Miley to find her now looking up as the crowd started to leave.

"We still have to talk." He mumbled at her as she nodded smiling.

He smiled back and left after his mother.

"Is that true, Miley?" the few people remaining looked at Jake who uttered those words.

"It's not your business, Jake." She gritted her teeth.

"Well, if you're trying to make me jealous then it's not working and-"

"What?" she looked at him in disbelief. "Get out."

"I know you don't mean that and-"

"Dude, just get lost already." Joe chuckled rolling his eyes.

"Sorry, Mr. but I wasn't talking to you."

Demi sighed moving forward as she pushed him out of the room and closed the door.

"We'll talk later, Miley." He said from behind the door.

"Hey, Miles, I wanted to tell you that I really like you a lot more than Delta already." Joe smiled at the younger girl.

"There's still nothing going on, Joe." Miley rolled her eyes playfully.

"Hey, you two love each other and-"

"Love?"

"Shut up, I was the closer to the door, I heard you guys…"

Joe said as she blushed a deep shade of crimson.

"I didn't say I love him."

"Yeah… but you two said you're falling for each other." He rolled his eyes.

"What's your point now?"

"That you're gonna be a good couple."

"Cute." Selena smiled adding to Joe's sentence.

"Alright, I have to admit they're right." Demi said finally giving somehow the approval of this possible relationship.

"Come on, Dems. Don't be a hardcore." Joe said wrapping his arm around Demi's shoulder. The girl looked at him up and down.

"Your hand, please." She requested strictly, but it was obvious she's joking, "I may have forgiven you, but you're creeping the hell out of me."

"How am I creeping you?"

"You're acting as if we've never stopped being friends."

"Well, we're okay now." He shrugged.

"Still. Don't you feel awkward talking to me?"

"No. do you?"

"No." she said as they all laughed.

"You're insane." He shook his head.

"You made me."

"I made you? How did I make you insane now?"

"Aww, aren't they just cute?" Taylor coed as Selena and Miley gave a chuckle and the other too looked at her and then stopped their little argument looking at the ground.

"What do you think Denise wants from Nick?" Demi asked quickly changing the subject which Joe completely welcomed while answering her question…

"Probably giving him the talk."

"What talk?"

"The 'are you sure of what you're doing' talk."

"I see your mother doesn't like the twist of events."

"The sudden twists." Joe agreed correcting.

XxXx

"Nick, what was that all about?"

"What, mom? I finally saw what Delta is actually is… I broke up with her and I'm trying to get to the one I actually like."

"Well, it seems that you're moving on too fast, Nick."

"Well, like I said, this feelings for Miley has been getting strong for a while now, it's not just now."

"You mean when you were with Delta?"

"Yeah, before she even came here, it just took me a while to realize the truths."

"Nick, you're not doing this to get back at Delta, are you?"

"What? Of course not."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mom." He actually looked offended by that so she nodded and smiled at him.

"Well, then I have to tell you that Miley is a sweet girl, Nick, if you hurt her then you'll have to deal with me out of all people, I basically raised her as a child."

"Don't worry, mom." He smiled as she patted his shoulder.

"Alright, go fix things with her then." She said as he smiled nodding and turned around happily…

Well, seems like everything is falling in it's right place then. Him and Miley are just going to be great… they just have to fix out some problems as getting out of the house, which they can't right now due to the continuous storm out there; they had already finished the time their grandfather wanted them to spend in his house. And the storm was preventing them to leave and also blocking away everyone else including the lawyer who was supposed to visit them after the duration is done…

Well, that problem will be fixed as time passes… the bigger problem is, Miley's father. He definitely wouldn't approve of this, especially that he has eyes on someone for his daughter.

**Well, I feel like this chapter is just a crap :/ Filler? I don't know, but I think the next ones are going to be much better :) So, guys, check out my newest story 'Apartment 130' and don't forget to drop reviews here and there ;) 3**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

For the first time in a long time, probably since Albert's death, the majority of people in the house were sitting on the same table, having dinner and chatting in groups, occasionally the groups would change according to the topic…

There was Demi, Joe and Taylor building up the broken friendship they had, and from the sound of it they were actually doing very good job.

And there was Selena, Liam and Justin the two siblings were trying to actually get the later to talk and figure out his hidden persona. Well, more like Selena pushed her brother to do so, since he was still not that welcoming, but he was trying.

While Kevin and Danielle mainly talked together but occasionally joined the others.

And last but not least there were Miley, Nick and Denise. They were talking about the couple's problems. Yes, they were somehow a couple, he didn't ask her officially yet, but to everyone else they were a one.

"Robin would never approve though." Denise said as a matter of fact, Nick looked at her for any sign of doubt while Miley nodded knowingly.

"I know," she sighed, "But he can't force me."

"But you could lose him." Nick muttered.

"I don't care anymore, Nick." She admitted as Denise looked at her sadly, "I have mom, you, aunt Denise and the girls. I don't need him."

"No, Miles, you've gotta try with him."

"He wants me to drop my college, Nick. No way. If I tried talking to him rationally he'll just pretend he agrees until he gets closer to me and then pop the topic again." She rolled her eyes.

Nick looked at his mother who nodded, "Yes, I know Robin." She rolled her eyes, "But, Miley, dear, like Nick said you've got to talk to him first, if he just didn't agree…" she trailed off not wanting to tell her to just disobey her father.

"Then, he brought it to himself. I'm going to do what I want anyway. It's his choice or not to be in my life actually."

"Wow, Mi, just take it slow." Nick widened his eyes.

"Nick, if you grew up with him you'd understand, but the thing is you didn't… you should know what I'm talking about aunt Denise." She frowned as the older woman nodded. "That's it then." She said making it clear that the discussion in this topic is over, at least for the mean time.

"Why does it feel so quiet and pleasant today?" Demi asked.

"Because Delta is staying in her room." Nick rolled his eyes.

"And Jake." Miley added taking a bite of her plate.

"Well, those attackers must get rid of them actually." Liam stated as they chuckled.

"Speaking of, we still don't know who are they." Taylor said seriously.

"No idea," they all shook their heads and groaned clueless.

"When is the storm ending?"

"They say it stays around a week."

"Which ends in two days."

"Then it should be over soon."

"GET AWAY FROM ME." The whole table looked at each other confused before it clicked. Another attack. Delta.

They all stood up and rushed towards the staircase where they saw Delta struggling with the masked figure, who was once again holding a knife. The attacker was hovering over Delta at the top of the staircase while pushing the knife down towards her as Delta kept fighting and pushing them away from her.

"Hey, you!"

Realizing that they're no longer alone, like always. They got off of Delta and started running up to the third floor but Delta held the end of the long black cloak. They were all running up towards them. Finally, they're going to reveal the identity of the attacker…

But, the cloak was ripped and the attacker was able to run before anyone could reach them.

"Shit." Joe yelled as he, Liam and Nick sped up the stairs after the attacker. When they reached the third floor there was no sign of them.

Liam looked at the rest of his cousins from the third floor, "Guys, spread around, they might run through the window."

As if on cue, they all went in every direction. But they made sure to stay in groups of two. Selena and Justin, Taylor and Denise, Kevin and Danielle, Miley and Demi and Delta with Jake.

Miley, Demi, Selena and Justin all went to the garden, it was the first time they get out for a long time, and it was sure as windy as ever. The first two went right while the second pair went left.

"God, it's so cold." Demi said holding Miley's hand.

"Yes, and it's starting to rain." She said as she looked up at the dark cloudy sky. That's when she saw it. The vision was almost impossible, but she thought she saw something flying from the window to disappear between the branches of the near tree. "Did you see that?"

"I guess I did." Demi nodded as she was looking up too.

"What's the hell?" Miley exclaimed as she saw Joe jumping after it.

"Is he crazy?" Demi said as they moved closer to the tree to stand right under it trying to see through the wind and the tangled branches.

"Did you guys find anything?" Justin asked from behind them.

"Joe just jumped after them in that tree."

"JOE." They saw Liam's head pop out of the window. The four down narrowed their eyes trying to see anything but they just couldn't.

"Where is he, Liam?" Selena shouted for her brother.

"I can't see him. I just saw him jumping. I can't find Nick too."

Oh, God, what in the hell happened?

Right when Miley was turning around to run inside and search for Nick, a loud thud and a scream of shook from Demi was heard, she turned around again to see Joe and the attacker engulfed in a fight. There on the ground. They just fell from a three-floors height tree.

"Where is my brother, you sick head?" Joe threw a punch at them and received a one in response.

He tried to take of the mask but the attacker just kicked him between his legs and before anyone could stop them they stood up and ran away.

"Hey, not again." Selena said letting her legs take her away after them.

"Selena!" Miley screamed and ran after her.

"Oh, god, Joe, are you okay?" Demi went to see Joe who was curled up in a ball in pain. Justin was already gone and she doesn't know when or where.

"Yes, I'm fine." He said as held his hand out and she helped I'm up. "Come on, we need to find them." He told her as he tried to run in the same direction but he limped and fell to the ground again.

"Ow." He yelped in pain.

"What is it, Joe?" Demi bent down next him.

"My leg, I think it's twisted from the falling."

"Come on, let's get you inside." She said as she helped him up making him lean on her shoulder.

"What about them?"

"Let's get help from inside."

"What happened?" Denise asked when she saw Demi and Joe all wet and pale faces, and most of all limping.

"He fell down the tree." Demi explained as she set him on a couch.

"Are you okay, Joe?"

"I'm fine, mom, it just twisted."

"Where's Miley?" Taylor asked Demi.

"She and Selena ran after the attacker. We want someone to go after them." Demi said remembering her cousins as she looked around for someone that look like he possibly could run with her after them. "Liam, come with me." She spotted him as he frowned at her, she took his hand and quickly ran outside explaining what happened.

"Have you seen Nick?" Joe asked his mother.

"No, he were with the three of you." Denise's eyes widened.

"When we got upstairs, each of us entered a room to search, that was the last time I saw him." Joe said worriedly.

"I'm going to search upstairs again." Taylor said.

"Don't go alone, Taylor." Denise said looking between her and her son.

"Go with her, mom, I'll be able to walk in a while." He said obviously lying.

"Are you sure, honey?"

"Yes, mom, just go."

He saw the two of them hurrying upstairs as he threw his head back on the couch, he just wished everyone would be fine, actually his leg hurts like hell, he knows he can't walk on it right now at all, but he needed to know that his brother is okay, and he couldn't let Selena and Miley alone with this crazy attacker, so, Demi had to go with Liam.

"Where's Justin?" He suddenly realized.

Selena slowed down when she wasn't able to see the attacker anymore as Miley finally caught up with her panting heavily.

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know." She shook her head as the two girls held each other hands and looked around them ever where expecting them to appear out of the blue. It's not like they didn't before anyway.

"Who do you think it is?"

"It's a girl." Selena said. "As you see, they never attacked one of the guys, it must be a girl and she fears being beaten by the guys."

"They attacked Justin."

"Does Justin seem like the kind of guy to defend himself in such situations? Besides, he was tired. I don't mean he's weak, but the surprise agent just gets him badly."

"Good point."

"What's that?" Selena said and pulled Miley towards something on the ground. It was the cloak.

"It's the cloak, right?" Miley said holding it up, "and the knife." She added as the shining material fell on the ground.

"Where in the hell did she go now?" Selena said annoyed. Well, she must be close.

"I hear footsteps." Miley whispered to Selena.

"Right," she said and turned around only to scream as she saw her brother right behind her. "Liam, you scared the shit out of me." She hit him as he chuckled.

"Sorry, sorry, so what happened?"

"We don't know where they went." Miley answered and looked up. Well, she now know how flexible their attacker actually is.

Demi followed her gaze up as they started looking in different directions while Selena and Liam looked around them behind the trees.

"This is not working? They are either very good at hiding or just left." Liam shook his head after about ten minutes without a single movement other than the wind.

"You're probably right." Selena said sighing.

"Let's go back then."

The four started moving back towards the house with the cloak and the knife with them, at least they found something.

"Wait," Demi stopped and closed her eyes concentrating on hearing the noise she just heard. She suddenly turned to her left just to see something quickly disappearing. "Here we go," she quickly ran after them as the others followed trying to trap them.

"I got you. I'm not letting you go again." They heard a mumble to see Justin tightly grabbing a body on the ground as they kicked and tried to get out of his grip.

Liam quickly helped him and held the body of the attacker tightly, they both operated in totally paralyzing the attacker's body.

"Let me go, I didn't hurt you." The attacker said.

"Oh, yeah, I know it's you. I saw your clothes when the cloak was torn up at the staircase." Justin said.

The girls quickly moved forward and saw the attacker laying on their stomach with their head down while the two guys grabbed their body tightly.

Selena bent down to have a view of the face as her eyes widened in surprise,

"_You_?!"

* * *

Hello, guys, another chapter :) They just found the attacker who do you think it is? And where is Nick? A lot of questions now, huh?

I'm really looking forward to see your thoughts on this :D:D

So, guys, can you please go check out one of my stories called Is It Wrong To Love You? Well, the writing will not be so good since it's been 2 freaking years since I put a word into it, but I want to know if it's worth to complete or just I should take it down? But, if you guys decide it's good, I promise the next chapters will be much more better than this shit I wrote :D


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Nick, Nick, wake up," slowly his eyes began to struggle and open as he mumbled something under his breath. He felt his head hurting as he moved his hand towards it to find a bandage, he frowned confused and finally had the power to open his eyes to see the relief wash out his mother's face along with Taylor's.

"Thank God, you're fine." His mother hugged him.

"What happened?" He asked sitting down in a bed.

"I don't know, you went missing and we found you locked up in a cupboard. Your head was bleeding too." Denise frowned.

Then it clicked; he saw them, the attacker, he saw their face, the one that had been threatening and fearing them all, he saw them.

"I saw them."

"What do you mean?"

"You saw the attacker?"

"Mom, come down here." Kevin called in a tone that made the woman jump in fear and hurry down stairs.

"Come on, let's go see what happened." Nick said standing up as Taylor looked at him unsure but followed when she saw he was perfectly fine as he rushed out the door following his mother down stairs.

"Nick, are you okay?" he saw Miley rush towards him and right between his arms. But, did she feel… cold? Freezing?

"God, Miles, what happened to you?" he said rubbing her arms up and down warming her body as she shivered at the heat radiating from his body.

"I was out."

"Come on, walk you, bitch." Liam screamed as he held up the girl from her waist and finally entered the house as she struggled to get rid of him, but then she found everybody standing there and she suddenly just gave up and started crying and Liam let go of her only for her to fall to the ground sobbing loudly. "Now, you cry!" he screamed at her.

"It's her." Nick pointed out. "I saw her face before blacking out."

"Yeah, we know it's her."

"Lila?" Denise stepped closer as her eyes went from narrow in recognition into wide of surprise.

"Yes, it's me!" the girl suddenly stood up and screamed as the tears just kept rolling down her face. "I've been the nightmare scaring you!"

"Really? You have guts here!" Liam screamed angrily at her.

"Why would you do that?" Taylor put in while the other three girls who have been there when she was caught just watched as they already had all those questions running since they saw her.

"You deserved that!"

"Do you even know us?" Demi now spoke angrily.

"That's the point!"

"So, you go on murdering everyone you don't know!"

"I didn't murder any of you!"

"That's because you didn't have the time to, you were always interrupted."

"I could have killed Justin or Selena!"

"Why are you even talking like that you, bitch? Don't you realize that it's over? You're not controlling the situation here!" Delta said and for once everybody felt grateful for her mean side.

"Lila, honey, why did you do that?" Denise moved and put a had on the girl's arm and surprisingly she seemed to soften at the touch!

Well, Lila was the Chef's daughter, she's been living in that house since she was born, she was around their age, but she never got to meet them or play with them, she always watched them happily running around from behind the kitchen's door, and when someone of them was in the kitchen, she was hiding behind her mother or father. These were her father's rules, never to get along with them, thinking by that ay he's making her happier, as if in she wouldn't be judging and comparing their rich pleasant life with her poor one which she will be stuck in for forever!

Little did he knew he created a little monster there. It was no matter Albert tried to get her to play with them, he still refused.

"Come on, everybody, just sit down!" Denise said and held a grip on Lila's arm dragging her along with her to sit her down.

"Mom, what the hell are you doing?" Joe looked at her in shock!

"Shut up and just sit down!" she glared at him and just looked over at the girl again! "Lila, why did you do that?" Denise was so kind to her all along! She got her candies behind her father's back, and she used to talk with her, well, it was Denise and her sister Lilly! That's why she always loved them!

"They deserved it!" the girl shrugged and there was an angry come back from the group but Denise just held her hand out and glared at them all.

"Will you just shut up for now? Let her talk and then speak!"

"Why are you defending her now? She's a crazy bitch who tried to get us all killed!" Nick who was sitting right next to Lila said angrily as the girl just turned around and quickly got up attacking him surprising them all.

"Get off of him." Miley pushed the girl and Denise held her back. But a fact that no body could deny: the girl was strong!

"Just ignore them and please answer me, Lila." Denise set her back.

"Mr. Albert asked me to do that!" She said quietly glaring at Nick.

Before anybody could reply, Denise spoke, "My father? Well, I'm sure he'd have never told you to kill his grandchildren, Lila!" she said a little strictly, as the girl looked at her afraid, she loved her and she know that she just messed up and got Denise mad at her.

"Well, he didn't specifically tell me that, but…"

"But what? You just thought you want the whole thing and you wanted to have it, huh?" Delta snapped.

"Will you stop thinking about money for once?" Lila smirked at her as Delta just looked at her dumbfounded.

"You bitch, you can't speak to me like that!"

"Delta!" Denise screamed, "Why won't you all just let me handle this conversation with her alone?"

"No, it's okay, I want them to hear it all!" Lila said with a slight smirk making everyone all angrier and know that she's crazy. "Well, Mr. Albert called me a few nights before his death and asked me for a favor…"

"_Hello there, little Lila!" he smiled at the young girl. "Look at you all grown up that I'm not sure I can call you little anymore." He said making the girl laugh._

"_Well, I'll accept anything from you, Mr. Albert." She looked at him gratefully._

"_Thank you, my girl." He smiled sadly, "It hurts to know I've seen you grow up like that and not my grandchildren, you know."_

"_I'm sorry about that, Mr. Albert." She said sadly with tears in her eyes; she just couldn't understand them. How could they let the man by himself all these years, they only may came once every few months; that if he's lucky!_

"_Don't be, my dear, don't be." He shook his head, "I know they're busy."_

"_Busy? Busy for what? For you? Either your sons or your grandchildren, they're all wrong, they should NOT leave you like that, Mr. Albert."_

"_I know that they don't mean to, life is hard."_

"_What life? What kid of life can they live with you being mad at them and they do nothing about it?"_

"_But, I'm not mad at them!" _

_She hated them, the man was too kind and all he wished for was to see them, he wasn't even mad at them? Is that even possible? But, did they care?_

"_I just invited them over and they said they'd be here!" he told her._

"_Well, they said! But, will they? Even if they did, do you think they'll leave their precious lives and stay with you?" she rolled her eyes and he smiled at her,_

"_I know they will."_

_The man was dying! She knew that, he knew that. That was his last wish! That and them coming closer…_

"_Well, I want you to do something for me, Lila, if that is possible…"_

"_You know I'd do anything for you, Mr. Albert…" she sighed shaking her head._

"_Well, you know I'll be gone soon-"_

"_Mr. Albert-"_

"_Just let me finish, please, as I was saying, I'll be gone and they'd be still here because of the will… and you are about their age, you're twenty-two now, so, I want you to bring them closer."_

"_Mr. Albert…"_

"_Please my dear, I know somewhere inside of them they still care for each other, they just need a guide, I want you to be that one. I know you're sweet and they'd love you, so, just show them how great they all are and how much they need each other, please."_

_The begging look in his eyes made her tear up, as she nodded reassuringly, "Alright, Mr. Albert." She nodded looking down as he relaxed a bit._

"_Promise me?"_

"_I promise, Mr. Albert." She said determined. _

_Well, he asked for her help, but he never mentioned how to do this, so, she had her own plan._

"So, you went around hurting us to bring us closer? Are you insane?" Selena spat.

"It worked, you idiot." She told her, "For the first time you were sitting together all and discussing something."

"We were fucking accusing each other, you smartass." Miley yelled at her angrily.

"I HATED YOU." She screamed back, "I hated you with everything in me for putting him in that pain! You don't know how much he missed you. I'm a stranger and I was so much better to him than any of you, I've been there telling him that you'll realize your mistake and come around when you realize you're missing him, but still you didn't come until HE asked for you. And I'm not saying this for money. Fuck you and your money; I only cared about the old man."

Everybody was just in pure surprise and total shock at her words there were even tears, she was painfully right, and the worst thing is, they can't correct the mistake anymore… they've lose the chance to.

"Still, that doesn't give you the right to do what you've done!" Liam said angrily but with a shaky voice, even him was affected by her words.

"I had to keep my promise."

"You didn't find a better way?"

"How in the hell was I supposed to talk to you and get you close when I couldn't stand you? That was the most fair plan for both you and me."

"That wasn't fair for us!"

"It is, cause now, you realize how much pain he went through, only not physically or mentally like you had, but emotionally, which is a lot worse."

"You're crazy!"

"Ha, that's your reasons?" she smirked, "Face it, you guys suck!"

"Shut up! Did you think your bloody plan would work?" Kevin spoke.

"Look at yourself now!"

"We're not closer because of your fucking plan!"

"Yes, you are. Don't deny that you got worried about each other, there's even a new born love here. Joe, Demi, Taylor, you overcame your problems, and don't deny there was a part of it because you were afraid to lose one another!" she looked at Nick and Miley then at the later trio.

"You aimed to kill me." Nick spoke, "When I found it was you!"

"Well, that was a panic attack, but I knew they'd have found you anyway… Miley wouldn't have left you lost!" she said and stood up. "Well, I'm not denying that I made a mistake, it's you guys who aren't admitting that… I didn't cause any of you any serious hurt or problem, I didn't get you cuts, sent you to hospitals or anything. Well, Justin and Selena moved a lot which caused them bruises or cuts, apart from that, I did nothing but scare you." She said and started walking away.

"I don't even deny that I got to like you, guys!" she mumbled while walking away! "I know you're sorry, but it's too late."

"What about when your father finds out about that?" Delta screamed apparently not caring about her last sentences that shocked all the others.

"He's dead, you idiot!" and with that she left them with their tracing thoughts and guilty minds!

* * *

Too soon? Well, couldn't leave you a lot longer without knowing, I myself was looking forward for that chapter, so I just wrote it and couldn't wait to put it for you guys, I was like "Hell, who cares about more reviews, there's some people there waiting!" and here it is… :D:D But, that doesn't mean I want to see your reviews though… :D:D


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

A knock on the door was heard as Miley groaned in her sleep, she turned on her right side clutching the covers to her body seeking for warmth. She felt her face getting hit with the sun rays coming from the window as she squeezed her eyes uncomfortably and then blanking, she started to open them.

"Miles? Sel?" she heard the knock again but this time Demi called for them.

After that night they spent running after Lila around the house, Miley and Selena caught a strong cold, they were very ill, so they both shared a room together as Demi spent her nights with Taylor.

They both have been so tempestuous since they wanted nothing but to be left to sleep peacefully; however, nobody seemed to give them what they wanted.

Denise was always there making sure they're okay. Nick was there to stay with Miley who always slept on him. Joe was there to tease them both, while Demi and Taylor were there to give them food and help Joe in his precious job at making them angry.

"Just come in, Demi." Selena yelled from her bed tiredly.

"Hello there, my dear cousins." Demi said as she entered the room, "I've got you something to eat."

"Great, I'm starving." Selena said as she sat in her bed, "Come on, chicken noodles? Again?"

"Hey, that'll make you feel better." Demi said and handed her the bowl forcefully so she'd eat. "And you Ms. Don't act asleep because I just saw your eyes open."

"Fine." Miley sighed and rolled over to lie on her back then sat up in her bed lazily. "Why is there sun rays? Is the storm gone already?"

"Despite this being the third time you ask me that question in the last three days, but yes it is."

"I did?"

"Oh, honey, you have no idea what you said, do you now?" Demi smirked as Miley's eyes widened and Selena laughed.

"Oh, boy, what did I say?"

"Nothing we didn't already know, anyway."

"Like what?" She asked as Demi just laughed teasingly, "God, just tell me."

"Here have that first and I'll tell you." She handed her the bowl as she rolled her eyes and took it from Demi.

"Now what?"

"Well, you were telling us continuously about your unconditional love to Nicholas, and how great your children will look like and-"

"I didn't say that." Miley said as a matter of fact, because after all, it's way to early for her to have these thoughts, yes, she likes the guy, a lot, even falling for him, but they've been together for like what? A week? Through which she's been sick and don't remember anything about.

"Alright you didn't. you just said that you love him." Demi said keeping a straight face.

"I did?" Miley whispered freaking out.

"Kinda, yes."

"Did he hear me?"

"Fortunately for you, no."

"Thank God." She let out a breath.

"If you do, why don't you let him know?" Selena asked her.

"What are you saying? I can't of course."

"Why not?"

"Because, he'll freak out… it's way too early, I should take things slow."

"Love has no rules, girl." Demi told her, "Besides, we all know that he does too. You didn't see him when you fainted the other day."

"Says the girl who has been refusing to talk to Joseph for years fearing his love." She rolled her eyes; she knew she was just being a bitch right now, but she knew Demi will not listen to her if she wasn't a one.

"Hey, don't even start with that one."

"Why? Because you still love him?" Selena spoke taking another mouthful hungrily.

"Stop it, guys." She mumbled.

"Why, Demi? Well, just face it. You still have a thing for him you already told us that before, why are you acting like you didn't?" Selena said.

"Because I just got his friendship back. I don't want to rush things again."

"Love has no rules, girl." Miley mimicked her words.

"Don't use my own words against me."

"If that goes for me then it must go for you too." She shrugged, "Listen, Demi, you may be right on not telling him right now… like you need to know his feelings first and so, but don't hide yours, who knows? Maybe Joe is waiting for a signal from you."

"So, what are you saying?"

"Flirt with him." Selena told her.

"Flirt?"

"Yes, I'm sure that'll get you to the point."

"What if he rejects me?"

"Then, you'll stop loving him and move on… better than him rejecting you after you tell him you love him. Either way, you should know."

"I guess you guys are right." She bit her lower lip.

"Finally," Miley rolled her eyes.

"Knock, knock, knock, aw, look who's up and looks all good." Nick entered the room and walked over to take a seat on the bed beside Miley.

"Good morning."

"What morning? It's like 2 p.m." he chuckled at her and kissed the top of her head.

"Really?"

"Yup. You're sure a heavy sleeper."

"I'm sick."

"Well, so am I, but I'm up from a long time." Selena told her.

"Well, you're better than me." Miley argued as Selena rolled her eyes and smiled but didn't reply only focusing on the bowl in her hand.

"How's my girl today?"

"She's good." She smiled at him, "A lot better actually."

"Yeah, at least you know what you're saying today." He chuckled.

"What do you mean?" she widened her eyes.

"Nothing," he smirked at her as she froze for a while but didn't question it any further. She looked at Demi questioningly as the later just shrugged and smiled. "So, you two need to get better by today's night, cause Erick is coming today seeing that the storm is over and he's free."

"Who's Erick?" Miley scrunched up her nose in confusion.

"Erick Smith. Lawyer. Well. Stay here a month. Does that ring a bell?" Nick said sarcastically as she hit his chest playfully.

"Do I have to be there? There's nothing to be said anyway. We all stayed."

"Um, there's something else." Demi said as Miley and Selena looked at her waiting and confused by her nervous tone.

"What is it?"

"The parents. They're also coming." She crashed the news. Well, neither Miley nor Selena were okay to see their fathers. Selena had a lot her father didn't know about, like the drugs for an example, yes she decided to get help –not that she's addicted yet, anyway- but he will sure not be pleased if somebody spilled it to him.

While Miley… well, everything starting from staying there in the first place ending with the Jake/Nick case.

"We should be expecting them at 5." Demi spoke when no one else did.

"Well, listen, Miley, we're going to go through this together. You'll be fine." Nick reassured her.

"Your mother is coming, you know." Demi told her quickly, "Yours too, Sel."

"Great, that'd make it a little easier." Well, before that whole month, Selena was more a daddy's girl, but now that she somehow changed, she knew that her mother will like the new side she's showing more than the old bratty one and will be on her side, while her father will not even be pleased with the fact she's getting along with her cousins.

However, Miley was lost on her own thoughts; only one thing she was sure about: she wasn't ready to face her father.

XxXx

"Hello there my darling," Richard said as he reached out for his youngest daughter hugging her. She hugged back and then turned to her mother giving her a bear hug.

"I missed you, mom." She said sighing happily, she was actually missing her like crazy, she needed her.

"I missed you too, Sel."

"Well, where's my daughter? Have you eaten her? I heard about the attacks, she better be good or-"

"I'm here, dad." Miley interrupted her father's long threats.

"Hey, there, kiddo."

"I'm not a kid, anymore."

"Miles." Her mother exclaimed as she engulfed her in a hug.

"Easy, mom, you might get infected." Miley chuckled.

"Are you okay? I've been sick worried when Denise told me about the attacks. But, then the storm begun and I just lost connections with you."

"I'm fine, mom, we know who it is now. And it's not something to worry about." She reassured.

"Mom," Demi yelled and ran all the way to her mother who chuckled lightly, you could really see form the very first begging the connection between the mother and the daughter.

"Hey, little sis, still haven't got yourself a boyfriend?" Richard smirked at Lilly who looked at him rather insulted.

"Richard, that's ridicules now." Denise glared at him defending her sister, maybe they're not on the best of terms, but still, she didn't nothing really.

"He has a point, you know." Robin pointed out, "No boyfriend? A fiancé? A husband? Not even a fling?"

"This is none of your business." Lilly huffed, well apart from the five siblings and Demi, and maybe the wives and Denise's husband, nobody else understood the matter.

"I see you're afraid of getting into a relationship again. Wouldn't have blamed you since last time it got really bad." Richard said eyeing Demi up and down.

"You're a bastard?" Delta suddenly yelled looking at Demi who widened her eyes and looked at her mother helplessly; that has always been a sensitive topic to her. "You're." she smirked.

Everybody just looked fazed for a second.

"What are you even still doing here?" Miley exclaimed turning the tables on Delta.

"I'm here for my boyfriend, duh."

"Your boyfriend? What boyfriend? He broke up with you, get over it." Taylor yelled at her.

"He'll come around." She said confidently.

"No, I'm not." Nick looked disgusted.

Delta gasped and then looked around her, "Then I'm here with Jakey." She said and grabbed Jake's arm who looked puzzled but then smiled awkwardly realizing everybody is looking at him.

"What is _Jakey_ doing here?" Selena rolled her eyes. Well, it seemed like no one of the cousins liked those two. At all. But everybody knew that Delta was there to see what they'd get and try to play her game, maybe on Nick again, Liam or even Justin, just someone rich.

"Jake, my son." Robin exclaimed happily. And now everybody knew what's Jake doing there. Robin's orders.

"I'm here for Miles." Jake replied smiling at Robin as he wrapped an arm around Miley's shoulder.

"Get away from her." Nick said and pulled Miley towards himself protectively as she wrapped her hands automatically around his torso.

"Just shut up everybody already." Suddenly an exclaim of frustration was heard. They all spun their heads to look at Lila's direction.

"You all know what the other is doing here. Delta you're waiting for a wealthy guy to play your wicked dirty games on. Jake you're here because Mr. Robin dear here wants you desperately to marry his daughter who is in love with Nicolas, Denise's son. Demi was hiding a sensitive secret from you all and nobody can blame her, while Joe wants so badly to comfort her right now. Kevin and Danielle just feel so out of it. While now, Liam wants to get closer to Mr. Erick so maybe he could get a job in his office as a lawyer, he could care less about the money. Selena is as afraid as hell from her father. Justin just wants a little money to start off his dream project, while Taylor looks forward to have the money so, she could head off to Paris and maybe find her soul mate there. As for the parents, they're here to make sure their kids get a rightful amount of the wealth… well, apart from Denise and Lilly."

Everybody was looking at her dumbfounded, she just summarized up what is involved in each one of their heads. Was she watching them so closely? Was she a mind reader? No, she couldn't be, if she was, she'd have probably knew better than saying the cousins' secrets in front of their parents, but after all she said she hated them.

Soon, the facts were sinking in. Robin looked at Miley who was still in Nick's arms and you could clearly see the anger ragging, Richard looked between his son and two daughters not knowing what to say, he's got a daughter afraid of him and another wanting to travel and a son who didn't care about the money?

Denise looked worriedly between Robin and Lilly, since she had two of her sons falling for their daughters. Hopefully Lilly was just surprised not angry, while Robin…

As for Jake, Justin's father, he just shifted uncomfortably not knowing where the situation is heading.

While the nine cousins just looked between each other worriedly making it obvious that they weren't as distant as their parents just left them a little over a month ago.

"Great, you guys are all here." Erick emerged into the room with a wide smile that soon faded out sensing the killer tension filling the air.

* * *

Uh-oh, where is everything heading? Seems like troubles, huh? For everyone. But, don't worry, nothing couldn't be fixed ;) So, what do you think about dividing the wealth? What do you think everybody will get? There will possibly be a pleasant decision while dividing.

Also thank you guys fro the reviews, the meant a lot, the story is coming to an end, but not before a few more chapters, maybe 5? Or maybe longer, I still am not sure…

I'm really happy, I've got 184 reviews fro this? It'd be awesome if you guys hit the 200… is that possible please? :D that'd be the first story of mine though…


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Robin's read face sent shivers down Miley's spine; she felt Nick squeezing her arm comfortingly as they waited for a reaction. Any reaction. Just anything but this killer silence.

"Miley. You and me. Now." Robin screamed heading towards his late father's room.

"There's nothing to talk about, dad." She managed to get out as he stopped in his tracks.

He slowly turned around and looked even angrier than before, "What was that?"

"I said there's nothing we could discuss." She said with more confidence. Now, everybody were focusing with them. Her mother and even Denise took her side with Nick.

"How come? Because, to me, it looks like you're dating your cousin!"

"He's not her cousin." Denise said as he siblings and their partners looked at her confused. Apparently, their kids didn't break the news on what happened earlier that month.

"Have you gone mad?" Robin narrowed his eyes angrily, "Or have you got someone to play the role of your son? Very smart, D, very smart."

"No, Nick is my son. But, I'm not your sister, biologically anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked her finally speaking.

"I was adopted. Mom and dad never wanted you to know this so you wouldn't change your point of view about me, you were still too young, Richard, only one year old, so you didn't realize that, and I was just a newborn. To be honest, I never planned on telling you, but now that it depends on my sons' happiness, I needed to."

Her siblings looked at her fazed.

"So, that means your sons must be out of the well." Richard said.

Erick rolled his eyes, "No," he spoke as he looked at him confused.

"Grandpa said their names, dad. Besides, they're Aunt Denise's sons, she's named after him, just like you… so, maybe she's not even related to us biologically but lawfully, she's and so are they." Liam defended.

"Aren't you a lawyer? Can't you find a way for that? You'll never be good enough." Richard rolled his eyes at him.

"A lawyer is not supposed to use the laws against innocents, let alone his family, dad." Liam said with attitude as everybody looked at him surprised seeing that he was the one to try and get them out of it before.

"Funny, you should mention that." Kevin said sarcastically, clearly still annoyed by him.

"I know I tried to do this before, but I'm sorry, man. Back then I was still blinded by the words he charged me with against you, guys. But now, that I've lived with you, you're my family."

"Family? What's wrong with you, boy?" Richard screamed ragging.

"Richard, slow it down." His wife tried calming him down.

"Don't you hear what he's saying? He-"

"Just come on, you're making a scene." She said and looked at everyone apologetically and led his way to upstairs.

"Can we start the-" Erick started after a while before another fit could be thrown but he was too late.

"What about you, Ms. Miley? They're family too?"

"Of course, they're. It's none of my business how you see them, but me, I know they're just perfect."

"You're one dumb girl-"

"I'll be twenty-one in a while, dad. So, don't ever think of controlling me like that. I have decisions in my own life. But you, you only care about yourself, no medical school and come work with me, come one ditch your friends and travel the world for me, date this guy- God even marry him also for me. It's all about you. But I'm not a tool, I'm not your fucking tool." She screamed with a red face as she shrugged the comforting hands on her arm or back and stepped closer to her father as she spoke.

Robin just stared at her with anger-filled face without even talking. He then stepped closer to her also until he became only inches away, as for her she kept her eyes pinned on his angry ones not moving a muscle. Until she felt the paralyzing ache on her cheek. Her head flew to her side and her hand Involuntary moved to the burning spot as she looked at her father again.

"Robin!" Her mother screamed as she ran to Miley and took her between her arms, "You just crossed the line, I told you numerous times not to be so damn controlling, look at the mess you just made." She screamed at her husband as Nick, Denise, Demi, Selena, Taylor and Jake moved to Miley's side who was now crying in her mother's chest.

"You're not her mother!" he screamed back, but not like the last time, he didn't regret the words, he meant them this time. "Nobody has a say over her but me." He roared.

"You're unbelievable, Robin." Denise threw her hands in the air, "Can't you just get the fact that she's independent and make her own decisions now into that dirty little mind of yours? Your rule in her life is over. Over."

"She'll always have to turn to me with life-long-lasting decisions. I'm her father, and I do know what's best for her."

Once again, Miley pushed through the fuzz around her, no matter how hard they tried to keep her away from him but she pushed them all away and went directly to her father,

"You know, _Robin_," she said bitterly with her tear stained red face, "I'd rather cutting you out of my life than being controlled like that, I know what I want to do. And if I fail, let me fail, I'll try again. That's what I wanted to _normally_ and _peacefully_ talk to you about, but now, that we've come to this point, I'm doing what _I_ want. And on my wedding day, everybody here, will be invited, _my family_, my family who respected my choices and never judged me." She spoke,

"Aunt D, Nick, Joe, Kevin, Danielle, Liam, Demi, Selena, Taylor, Justin, Aunt Lilly, and even Lila, also this woman who raised me, the one you've insulting throughout my life, _my mom_, who swallowed all the bittersweet words of you just for me." She listed them all hoping she didn't forget someone in her anger state.

"But you, you'll never be there, because I hate you." That seemed to break him once again as he raised his hand in the air ready to hit her again leaving yet another red mark on her face.

"No," Nick shook his head, "Not again, _uncle_." He said holding his arm in mid-air.

"Get away, you boy." He tried to shrug him off but he just held him tighter and stepped between him and Miley, "You," he looked at Miley over Nick's shoulder, "You're going to marry Jake rather you want it or not, understand?"

"No, she's not." This time it was a surprise for all of them, it was Jake. "Maybe I wanted this only this morning, but, no, I'm not marrying Miley. I may have liked you, Miley, after what I've done and I hurt you, I realized that I was wrong when I let you go… but, I'm not for you and you're not for me… I know that, so…"

"Jake!" Robin shouted as he stopped trying to get to Miley as if shocked.

"Sorry, but, no." Jake said and sent a small smile at Miley who looked at him gratefully.

Without any other word being said, Robin dragged himself quickly out of the house as they heard the engine of is car starting before hearing the car speed up.

"I think I'll come back later, then?" Erick cleaned his throat.

"No, it's fine with me," Miley said and looked at the others who nodded slowly.

"Great then, should we start this?" He clapped his hands together hoping to just get that done.

They all gathered around the big table as Erick opened his bag and got out some papers. "As you all know, Mr. Albert had a huge wealth." He started receiving agreeable nods. "You never knew how mush each of you will gain. So, these papers and chars show you all the wealth and what it is represented in, like the house, companies, the gardens… just money."

"Just tell us yourself, we're not going to look through all those papers, you know."Selena told him, however Liam grabbed them and started flipping through them as his expression shifted to one of amusement.

"Ok, each one's share is 3 millions and 720 thousand." He announced as they all looked surprised; well, some thought it was much less than that and others thought it'd be much more.

"Mr. Albert planned everything for you. He had a deal with someone –Mr. Mike Rutherford, to buy this house, which was valued not more than 7,440,000 dollars, which is the share of two of you. The fields are the share of four, but if you don't want to sell and be benefited it's okay… the two companies goes for three… but also if you want to partner up it's totally okay. Everything is your choice."

"So, only the house is the one thing we shall sell to get money…" Taylor clarified.

"Not really, you know you can put it up for rent, and you'll still get some good money."

"It's be such a shame if the house is gone. Grandpa and Grandma are here! How could we like visit them?"

"Mr. Rutherford said it'll be completely fine if you wanted to come and visit them."

"But it won't be the same."

"Right,"

"If you're so desperate for the house not to be sold… then maybe you should choose the two people who doesn't need the money most and also agree on not giving it up." Erick suggested shrugging.

"I'm in." Miley said looking at everyone else.

"Well, we all know that Justin, Taylor, Selena and Demi all need the money for future plans." Denise started, "So, that leaves Kevin, Joe, Nick and Liam."

"I can do this." Liam mumbled though he didn't seem really happy with the idea.

"Liam, are you sure? I know you had plans…" Justin said, well, apparently sharing a room with each other also brought them closer, but no one had noticed.

"Give it up, dude, I know it's not gonna happen…" Liam smiled sadly.

"What are you talking about, son?" his mother asked.

"Nothing,"

"No, you can do it…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing, mom,"

"He had some big plans about starting up his own law office, and he wanted to make it a big deal, also…" Justin said trailing off at the end.

"What else?"

"Thanks a lot, man." Liam groaned, "Something may sound weird to all of you but… I was planning to um… pop the question you know…" he chuckled shyly.

"You have a girlfriend?" Miley exclaimed with a happy grin.

"You're asking Jennifer to marry you?" Taylor asked happily.

"Well, yeah, I was planning to when I go back…"

"That's great!"

"Congrats, bro."

"I'll be in the wedding, man."

"I wanna meet her."

Liam just looked at everyone and wondered why he hated them in the first place; they were nothing but really happy for him, and that was more than his friends would have done, they just invited themselves in his wedding and looked at him happily and even wants to meet Jen, they want to be involved with his life; even after everything is done. That was… great!

"Dude, you have a life to plan here, you can't take the house, you need the money." Kevin said obviously starting to get used to him.

"But-"

"What about I do?" Nick finally said.

"You don't have to-"

"No, I can partner with Miley in that." He said giving her a smile and a squeeze in the hand as she looked at him surprised.

"Nick, you-" she started.

"Miles, you know I love you and-" he stopped mid-sentence once he realized what he just said, in front of everyone who started 'wooo'ing and cheering.

"You do?"

"Um, well, yeah…" he scratched the back of his head looking everywhere nervously.

"You know I do too."

"What?

"I love you too."

He smiled idiotically at her as they all went cheering again liking the scene.

"Well, then, Nick and Miley will take the house." Joe said breaking their eye contact dragging them back to reality as he smirked at his brother.

"Are you sure, Nick?" Miley asked him.

"Yes, I mean even if we need money, we could always put it on rent like Mr. Smith just said." He shrugged.

"Fine then, Nick and Miley take the house and the garden… should I cancel the deal with Mr. Rutherford?" Erick said.

"Yes, definitely."

"Fine then, so about the fields…" Erick started again looking at the others to decide what they're going to take and do with their share, while Nick and Miley smiled at each other and zoned out of the conversation.

They ended up with Demi, Selena, Taylor and Liam taking the fields as they all also decided not to sell anything and have them benefiting them. Kevin, Joe and Justin took over the companies, they considered selling them at first but then there was Kevin working as a manager for his mother's restaurant series, and Justin studying business management, so why not keep them and partner up?

So, they all decided to keep the inherited wealth and benefit from it, while Mr. Smith agreed on being their family and business lawyer, he even offered Liam a job at his office until he's able to start his own.

"It was great seeing you, guys today." Erick said smiling as he stood up ready to leave. "I'm really looking forward to work with you. Your Grandfather was a great man and you seem to be just like him."

"Thank you, Mr. Smith." Kevin said shaking hands with him.

"Miles,"

"Yes, mom?"

"I'm proud of you, honey." She said hugging her tightly as Miley felt comfortable hugging her back.

"Thanks, mom. And don't worry about his words, you'll always be my mother no matter what he says."

Her mother pulled away and looked at her with such gratefulness, "Ad you, boy, we need to talk…" she suddenly turned to Nick who froze in his place thinking there is trouble again, "You just stole my daughter's heart obviously, so we need to talk, come on D, you're involved too."

"Mom," Miley groaned but the older woman just glared at her playfully; she was actually eager to find more about their relationship, how it created and all this gossip.

For a while it seemed like everything is fine, like her father haven't just left a red mark across her face, like there was her ragging uncle with his wife still calming him down upstairs, like there was still no envying Delta looking closely at every move, like Demi wasn't just embarrassed in front of everyone, but it seemed like everything will be fixed later, they were all relaxed right now and needed to forget those problems.

* * *

**A/N:** God, that was one long chapter :D:D I loved writing this one :D

So, first, to clarify things: Nick and Miley are NOT related. The boys' mother was adopted by Albert (their grandfather) so, her sons are not by ay way blood related to them, Joe, Kevin and Nick are Not related to them, so that's why Nick and Joe could be with anyone of the girls… Kevin is married though… if this chapter didn't make that clear then you may re-read chapter 8 again :D

So, do you guys like it? Robin is an ass, I know, but do you think he'l just stop like that? Who knows :P And Niley just said 'I love you's on Niley day yaay :D:D I'm sad this story is quickly coming to an end, but not for a few more chapters I guess :D

So, tell me what you guys think :D


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

A tear rolled down her face as she closed her eyes and inhaled a deep breath trying to stop the tears that were coming freshly to her eyes. She smiled feeling the soft wind blowing her hair away from her face a little making her feel so much alive as a smile crept to her lips as finally the million tears that were to come were held back and long dried.

Two strong muscular arms slowly and gently were wrapped around her waist from behind instantly making her feel more relaxed as they pulled her back towards their chest. She opened her eyes her smile growing a lot bigger,

"Joe," she said as she tilt her head a little to take a glimpse of the older guy who was smiling back at her.

"Hey, Dems." He whispered.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him not moving a bit from the comfortable position.

"I could be asking you the same question." He smirked as she laughed and finally pulled away a little and turned to face him with his hands still around her waist.

"Well, I was visiting my grandparents." She said a little quietly as they both glimpsed at the cold stone now behind Demi with a sad expression.

He looked at the bright colored flowers newly positioned on the graves and smiled a small smile looking back at the girl in his arms, the girl he thought he wouldn't speak to ever again let alone hold like he's doing right now.

"I see you brought flowers too." He said amused.

"Yes, now you didn't tell me what you're doing here?"

"Well, you can visit them and I can't?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Just that?" she mumbled remembering the conversation she had with her cousins about letting out her feelings to Joe.

"Well, and I wanted to see a certain girl." He said as she couldn't help but blush at that.

"Who would that be?"

"Someone not smart enough." He huffed faking annoyance. "I want to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Let's just sit down first." He said and pulled her down with him as he sat crossing his legs and she mimicked his position facing him, both of them didn't even realize they were holding hands nor that Joe was playing with her fingers; if Demi had noticed she'd be blushing like a tomato.

"So…?" she asked.

"Well, you remember what happened, Dems." He said nervously as she suddenly noticed he was holding her hand only because he let go of it scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Yeah," she gulped with her heart racing.

"Well, you remember how we used to be? I want you to know that none of that was fake, I was so sincere about my feelings with you, I never meant anything with Taylor… I know I was wrong with her, but with you, nothing felt more right."

She smiled at his nervousness knowing she's not the only one with a racing heart right now, "Really?" she bit her lip, "Well, Joe," she cleaned her throat, "I meant everything too, you were my first and only serious relationship."

"But, the thing is…" he started again after a while but trailed off.

"What?"

"I mean, I never stopped. Like, I never stopped having feelings for you, all this time…" there he said it.

She had her mouth slightly opened from the surprise, was he really telling her that he still likes her? All this time? That is a lot of time, he might have met some other girls, but he still likes her?

"I mean, it's okay if you don't feel the same way anymore, but the thing is-"

"Stop." She giggled. He looked over at her fear written all over his features.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Joe, stop. I like you too."

"I know, I know, you don- wait, what?"

"I like you, Joe. A lot. Never stopped either."

"You're not joking right?"

"No," she shook her head smiling and biting her lower lip.

"Demi! That's- really? Wow, I never expected that, I mean, I wished you'd somehow give me another chance, but not like really still having the same feelings. That's really… it means a lot." He stopped rambling and looked into her eyes finally leaning in for a kiss. It was soft and sweet just like old times, only a lot better.

XxXx

"Nick!" A loud bang on his door made him groan while parting his lips from his girlfriend's who was laying on his bed with him on top of her.

"Just a second." He yelled annoyed as Miley giggled at his face. He looked over at her and despite his annoyance he couldn't help but smile at how cute she looked with her messy hair. She fixed her hair as he buttoned his shirt and then went to open the door only for his annoyance to return seeing Delta at the door.

"Hey, Nick." She said pushing him a little to the side and entered the room, "What is she doing here?" she snapped as she saw Miley placing her hands over her hips in a protesting way.

"Me? What are you doing here?" Miley stood up angrily.

"I asked first." She smirked.

"Enough!" Nick gritted his teeth and held her arm roughly making her face him as she looked at him with shock.

"Ow, Nick, it hurts."

He let go of her arm and looked at her sending daggers through his eyes, "What happened to you? You were not like that, Delta. This is not the girl I fell for. You changed, do you really love money that much? God, you're unbelievable."

"I didn't change, Nick. You did."

"No," he shook his head in disbelief, "You just went all greedy on me. Well, to be honest, I thought I loved you, but in fact, it turned out to be I was wrong. This wasn't love. And definitely what you have isn't also, not to me anyway."

"Nick, I…"

"Save it, Delta, if you think we're going back then you're wrong." He snapped then sighed realizing how harsh that sounded, "Listen, money isn't everything, Delta, maybe me and you just don't belong together, but, don't blow a relationship over the material things."

Delta just stared at him for a while before rushing out of the room. Nick sighed and stepped towards Miley. "Are you okay?" Miley bi her lip.

"I should be the one asking that." He smiled at her.

"I'm fine."

"Hey, Miles." They both looked towards the door and saw her mother looking at her.

"Yes, mom?"

"Can I have a word with you?"

Miley looked over at Nick and put her hand over his chest, "I'll be back soon." She told him and he nodded at her with a smile as he rubbed her lower back giving her a peck on the lips.

Miley then followed her mother out and into her room, Demi wasn't there so they were both alone.

"Sit down, Miles." The older woman patted the place beside her on the bed as Miley followed confused. "I know we talk about that yesterday, but, Nick and Denise were there, and I want to have this talk again with you."

"What is it, mom?" She smiled thinking how grateful she was for having Miley call her 'mom' after everything. She's not her biological mother, just raised her, but still the girl called her 'mom'. She never had the bliss of giving birth to her own child, but somehow Miley was just enough.

"You and Nick," Miley instantly smiled upon hearing their names. "I trust you and everything, Miles, but, are you sure?"

"Sure of what exactly?"

"Of the whole 'I love you' thing, I mean, don't you think you're moving too fast?"

"Well, I know it was an extremely short interval of time until we committed the love, but, mom, really, you know I wouldn't have said this unless I meant it."

"I know, but, maybe you're just broken and confused that your imagination made you feel like it's love when it's not. I know very well that you had a lot going on with your life lately, and maybe just because you found reassurance with Nick you felt like that?"

"No, mom, I already thought about that, maybe we've rushed into saying that, maybe we should have waited, but, you saw how he said it, he was rambling, mom, doesn't that mean he meant it? Beside, me and Nick felt that way before even finding reassurance, I mean, yes, we were talking about our problems and all, but just as friends, when suddenly, we clicked and the chemistry began."

"Are you sure that it won't fade away with time? For both of you? You know, I don't want you to get hurt again-"

"I know, mom, but this is already something different, I could feel it's different from Jake, and he says it's different from Delta."

"Well, another thing, Jake and Delta, you two moved on pretty quickly from them both, which makes me even more worried."

"You know that the thing with Jake has been over for me for a while. And for Delta, well, maybe he did move on quickly, but he was already falling out of love –if that was even love."

"You seem sure."

"I am."

She sighed, "Just… be careful, Miles. I'll always be there for you, you know that."

"I will be, mom." She kissed her cheek as the woman pulled her in a side hug smiling.

"Well, another thing is your father…" she pulled away and looked at hr with such concern again.

"What about him?" Miley frowned not liking talking about him.

"He's not gonna let that go and you know that."

"What is he gonna do?" she rolled her eyes.

"Well, he might wait until you're home and lock you up there and force you to do what he want. That's the least of it."

"Well, I'm not going home then."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we all decided to spend the few weeks left of summer here together, right?" she said referring to last night's late decision that the cousins had decided. "Well, after that I'm going off to college again, which is not at home and I'll just stay there." She shrugged.

"What about vacations?"

Miley thought for a moment and shrugged again, "Well just see when it comes to that point. Mom, I'm not going to let him control any other decision of my life, I've had enough. I'm turning twenty one soon and he'll no more have any lawful controlling over me."

"I'm not letting him control you either."

"I know you won't, mom." Once again the mother and the daughter shared a meaningful hug.

"Well, then, I've got you away from your boyfriend for a while now go-"

"MILEY!" An excited exclamation cut her off as they both looked at the door to see Selena rushing towards the door, "Oh, I'm sorry did I interrupt anything?" she said with the same wide smile still on her face.

"No, what's wrong?"

"DEMI AND JOE." She squealed loudly as Miley stood up.

"WHAT? Really?"

"Yup,"

"God, where the hell are they?"

"Downstairs,"

"Miles- oh, I see that I'm late." Nick said as he also came rushing to tell her the news. Well, by the look of it, everyone has been expecting that to happen and was just waiting for it.

"Yes, you're, Nicolas. Come on, let's see them." She said and ran outside with the other two as the older woman stood there chuckling, they were acting like teenagers, but that was just because they'd missed their teenage years together, so that was kind of them trying to make it up for that.

After an hour or so, when they were all gathered together for a change, Joe and Demi were sitting next each other holding hands while awkwardly everyone was looking at them, while Nick and Miley were cuddling secretly happy that they were not the center of attention for the first time since they got together.

"Guys, this is really creepy." Joe said as they laughed and chuckled.

"Well, you two look cute," Taylor smiled, you'd think she's not okay with that, but she was totally okay, she was so over Joe.

"Doesn't mean you wouldn't stop staring."

"Now you know how it felt." Nick told his brother with a smile as the older one groaned.

Denise and Lilly were finally having a serious talk. It was the first time in fifteen years that they actually talked, surprisingly there were even smiles into the conversation and some laughters.

Tish, Miley's mother, and Susan, Richard's wife were also involved in talk, it was weird how the two brothers hated each other while their wives didn't hold a guard against each other.

Kevin and Danielle were looking at his brothers gossiping about them and their new romances and how suddenly both of them just found a new relationship in that house.

Taylor, Selena, Liam, Justin, Nick and Miley were talking with each other, involving Joe and Demi some times and others the couple were just talking together.

Suddenly, everyone's head snapped towards Liam who stood up put of the blue indicating he has to leave.

"Where to?" there came the confused question.

"I have to go buy a ring and get my girlfriend down here to spend the rest of the summer and announce an engagement."

"Really?"

"You guys wanted to meet Jen, right?"

"Wow, that's great."

"Want a company, man?"

"Actually…"

"Oh, great, I'm just gonna come." Justin said standing up patting Liam's back.

"Thanks, dude."

"Liam, I'm really proud of you." His step mother told him proudly, after all, she was also the one who raised him and the mother of his two sisters, she loved him.

"Thanks." He smiled gratefully, "I'll be back by tomorrow." He said and left with Justin.

"That's great, isn't it?" Miley turned to Nick.

"It is."

"I'd love to see him proposing as she says yes." She said excitedly as he smiled at her, "Isn't that great, Nick? This house being ours?" she said as suddenly it hit her. She is dating Nick and they're having this big house as theirs, could it be possible that they'd grow up together and come and live in that house as a married couple? Just like their grandparents?

"Yes, Miley, it's really… something." He said glancing around.

"You wouldn't leave me, would you?"

He looked at her frowning, "Of course not, why'd you say that?"

She played with her hand thinking back to the conversation she had earlier with her mother, "Nothing, I mean, just maybe you'll realize you don't really love me."

"You think we're moving too fast?"

"No, I mean, well, you can't deny that it's a little too fast saying I love you after only a little over a week! Not that I'm complaining but-"

"I understand,"

"You do?"

"Yes, but, Mi, just know that I really mean it, we can just slow it down from now on and just act like a freshly starting couple." He said as she laughed.

"You know what, I want us just to act like we feel, no holding back feelings or pretending we're something when we're something else."

"Wise decision."

"Great then." She smiled as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"I can imagine us living here one day together." He said and then looked at her to see her smile, "But not now, if you thought I'm already asking you to move in."

She laughed heartedly, "I know, Nick."

"Hey, guys, want to join in the game?" Kevin called for them while holding cards in his hand as the others were already gathered in a circle.

"Oh, yeah, what are you guys playing?" Nick said as they both rushed to take place between the others.

From a distance, Lila was watching the group while a smile pulled on her face; she was happy that they were finally a big happy family, containing the siblings' kind of love and the lovers' one. She knew that a big part of this was what she had done, even if it was wrong, but it was a big risk she had to take, because she only had one month to make them closer and keep her promise, and that was the only way in her mind.

Over that month, she's managed to grow closer to them herself, just without their acknowledge, she was sure there all the time knowing what's wrong or right with them, she just never spoke to them, but she liked them.

"Rest in peace, Mr. Albert."

* * *

**A/N:** Hey, guys, this was even longer than the last one, but I had to do it this long :D Well, I'm thinking of 2 options:

**First**, doing a sequel? I actually have some ideas for their future you know that they're finally a big happy family but they have to leave the house, like continuing on with their life and how it will be with everyone? In that case there will be a short epilogue next chapter. And the sequel will be a short story, I guess.. still not sure!

**Second**, No sequel and just explain their lives shortly in a long epilogue, which is also next chapter… in either cases, next chapter will be an epilogue which means the end of the story…

Well, you guys decide what's best.. after all, you're the ones who are going to read, so you guys decide, it's okay with me either cases :D :D

And don't forget telling me your opinion on this one… but plz tell me which option you'd rather so I know how to write next chapter :D


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** So, some of you wanted just an epilogue and others wanted a sequel, however, I decided to satisfy both opinions :D This is an epilogue, with a quick run of the events… like if you don't want to read the sequel you wouldn't have to, so here goes the last chapter of THIS story… Enjoy…

**Epilogue**

The house was full of life all of a sudden. Everybody running around happily catching up with each others and enjoying each other's company, for the last few times in God knows how long.

It was their last week before summer was over.

Delta had mysteriously disappeared from the house after the incident in Nick's room. However, Demi says she saw her leaving early thinking no one saw her.

Jake also left knowing there's nothing for him to do there… he finally came to his senses and knew that him and Miley aren't just meant to be. He left after wishing them all –especially Miley though- a happy life.

Mr. Smith made sure that everything was done and that everything now belonged to the nine grandchildren.

And now, beside the nine of them, the people on the house were: Denise, Lilly, Lila, Tish and Susan… so basically the mothers who got along perfectly and Lila.

Speaking of Lila; she found herself sometimes dragged into a conversation with the guys… and strangely enough, no one was mean to her. It seemed like, even though she'd caused them a lot of fear, but they knew she was right. They actually felt bad for her, so they didn't mind her at all.

Right now they were all gathered in the garden having fun. Taylor squealed when her brother lifted her up his shoulder and hanged her on a low tree branch sending everyone into a fit of laughters.

"Liam, are you serious? Put me down." She squealed holding on his shoulder for dear life.

"Nope. Say sorry to Jen."

"Who even got you into this! Jen forgives me, right Jen?" they looked at Jennifer who smirked at Taylor and stuck her tongue out at her before shaking her head.

"See? Now apologize."

"Fine, fine, your legs are killers, Jen. Now, put me down." She screamed as he laughed and put his sister down as she started hitting him everywhere as everyone just watched and laughed.

"Guys, dinner is ready!" Denise yelled from outside as she was preparing dinner with the other mothers and Lila.

They all nervously moved to the inside to have dinner. Well, there were some announces, discussions that they waited until dinner to take place.

"So, what are you guys doing after summer?" Susan asked.

"Heading to New York."

"What in the hell are you doing in New York, Joe?" Kevin asked his brother. "You were supposed to start helping with the restaurants or even the companies."

"I can do that from New York, you know." He rolled his eyes., "Besides what is an architectural designer supposed to do with that?"

"Maybe re-design?" he raised an eyebrow at him.

"Whatever, dude. I'm not going to re-design a restaurant more than once in a year at least, you know."

"What's your point, Joe?" Denise asked calmly trying to stop the argument between her sons; she really didn't care what Joe would do, as long as it's what he wants.

"I mean, sure, I'll help, but that won't be my main job; your restaurants I mean. Yeah, maybe my top priority, but not the only."

"Fair enough." She nodded.

"Why New York, anyway?" Danielle asked as he smiled along with Demi, Miley and Nick; they knew why.

"Well, it's a big city and-"

"Joe."

He chuckled, "Fine, fine, Demi is going to Columbia University."

"Aha!" Kevin rolled his eyes as they all laughed.

"Hey, Nick is in Julliard too, you know."

"And Miley…"

"Yup, New York Medical School."

"So, pretty much you four are going to New York?" Selena pouted.

"Yes, but we are calling you, Sel."

"You better do." She nodded.

Dinner went on smoothly with them just chatting the time away and there was that one announcement that was post-pond for later. They decided to just wait…

It was after dessert when suddenly Liam started being nervous; he was supposed to pop the question today. Everybody knew but Jennifer.

He asked her to go for a walk in the garden and nobody tagged along leaving them to their privacy… or at least making them think that; as they all rushed up the stairs to whiteness the historical moment when Liam was supposed to be all romantic, and the windows overlooking the garden were enough for them all.

They saw as he suddenly stopped walking and stepped in front of her holding both her hands and saying a way too long speech that they didn't catch a word of. And they saw as he leant down on one knee and put his hand in his pocket fishing for the box, which took longer than supposed – leave it to Liam to forget which pocket he had the box in.

They also saw as his lips formed the question nervously, "Will you marry me?" Jennifer had her hands both clasped on her mouth as he waited patiently for her answer and suddenly she nodded.

Progressing the words, he slowly smiled and stood up, "Yes?" he asked as if making sure. They saw her nod once again. And they both jumped into each other's arms.

The audience started to cheer loudly as the new engaged couple looked up with shocked expressions and then laughed at the sight.

"You guys are pathetic." Liam yelled laughing.

Later at the night, Kevin walked down stairs calling for his cousins when they were all there he finally made his announcements saying that his wife is pregnant.

Once again, the cheering and congratulations erupted through the house.

That night, Demi and Miley went to their room. And started talking after revealing a happy sigh…

"Who thought we'd end up like that?" Demi wondered.

"Yeah, remember our first day here?" Miley chuckled.

"God, we were so…" Demi trailed searching for the right word.

"Blinded?"

"Yeah…"

"So, New York, huh?" Miley smirked.

"As if you're not going!"

"Well, me and Nick already go to colleges there." Miley shrugged, "But Joey, here is moving to New York."

"Well, yeah, _Joey_ is." Demi laughed.

"You want to have a happy ending, I mean like Liam and Jennifer or Kevin and Danielle, right?" Miley asked out of the blue.

"Well, yeah, of course, who wouldn't!"

"I mean with Joe."

"Oh," Demi blushed, "Um, I'd be lying if I said no."

Miley just smiled and stared at the ceiling.

"What about you? You even have your marriage house planned out already." Demi joked.

Miley let out a laugh, "Good night, Demi." She said rolling on her side.

"That's not fair. I just told you I do."

"I'm already asleep."

"Fine. But I do know it's true."

XxXx

Well, they all were unaware of the events that were to take place when they leave after summer… they were also unaware of the changes that this summer made to all of them…

Like, Kevin and Danielle were unaware that they got definitely closer over the summer, and that Danielle would have a very health pregnancy.

Joe and Demi were unaware that they were more than just in love, and that Joe made the right decision by moving to New York where he'd find himself and make it big in his career with his supporting girlfriend by his side.

Taylor was unaware that when she goes back to her job in her parents magazine as a stylist, a certain event would be the cause of her meeting the love of her life with that special one guy.

Justin was unaware that he'd make it and actually manage the companies very well increasing their profits and definitely making their name bigger.

Liam was unaware that he'll get married to Jennifer in a big event that his whole family would attend and that he'll be never happier.

Selena was unaware that therapy could have made her this comfortable and relaxed, she'd get help, but after all her cousins helped a lot over the summer.

Lila was unaware that those people actually were going to be like her family, and that Nick and Miley letting her live in the house and take care of everything while they're away meant a lot.

Nick and Miley were definitely unaware that falling in love was that easy yet that hard. But after all, New York held some upcoming memories for them as did _their_ house. But, they both were sure that they'd end up getting married anyway.

They were all unaware that their grandparents would have been very proud of them if they were still there.

Well, everything was good for now, wasn't it? Of course everything has to change from time to another, and everything must have it's obstacles in the way of success wither it's a relationship, a job or even a test. But, the key was hidden somewhere for whoever search well…

* * *

**A/N:** I hope that was enough? :D Anyway, I WILL make a sequel for those who wanted it, and when I post it, in Apartment 130… but I know that not all of you read that one so I'll make a small announcement here also :D

Everything ended up fine, right? :D

Please tell me what you thought… and I really want to thank all of you who made the effort of reading this mess of a story and those who made a harder effort and reviewed, I enjoyed posting this out for you guys, and I hope you enjoyed reading as well.

Thank you,


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